SDA Mustang December 2008 by The Mustang Newspaper

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12.19.08

issue three volume xii

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02.09.09

issue four volume xii

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The year’s highlights

On the cover Chubby creatures with odd facial hair on recreational objects with wheels: sounds like Elinor Breidenthal’s concentration for AP Studio Art. Well, more specifically, “the relationship between mustaches and the biking culture,” said Breidenthal, a senior. The cover painting is a mixture between illustration and painting on cardboard. The bright colors and perky guys are what drew us to it. Her artwork, she said, is inspired by a “mixture between cartoonists and cartoons and picking out different patterns.” And the final thought that she leaves us with is: “Everyone should ride more bikes.”

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As the New Year nears no one really has the time to sit down and mentally review their personal best and worst of the past 365 days. A quick look back normally shows a fun summertime with friends and, for some, 16 candles and a license. That’s not what our staff writers were in search of when looking for SDA students’ highlights and low points. Here at The Mustang, we went out in search of the interesting and unusual. We searched far and wide and weeded out the humdrum stories about how fun it was going to the water park with your grandma… no one really cares. But you won’t find stories like that here; while searching through the paper, you will find your peers’ best and worst moments of 2008. Sprinkled throughout the paper you’ll find these stories. Sneak peek: someone met Snoop Dogg. Some of these stories may even help you get to know your classmates; we think of it as an unobtrusive CommUnity Day activity. So, whether you or not decide to recollect your year’s ups and downs, look to some of your friends and know that their stories are more interesting than yours. It gives you something to shoot for in 2009.

Staff Editor in Chief News Editor Alex Matthews Opinions Editor Michelle Cancellier Features Editors Ads Managers Erin Donaldson Emily Walsh

Art’s best and worst

Starving teacher Sometimes, when a teacher seems to be in a foul mood, it’s completely her fault. In September, English teacher Kerri Leonard attempted a simple social experiment to help her understand the plight of poverty that students found made her a little grumpy. (We’d tell you what it was here, but then we’d risk you skipping over the article. Sorry.) Short term side effects were loss of energy and, in some students’ opinions, said grumpiness. Long term effects included over $2,000 raised by a blog about the cause, and substantial press coverage. Even the Oprah Winfrey show contacted her. So although she may have seemed irritable to some, it was totally for a good cause, because she raised both awareness and money for the underprivileged.

The surveys were made, four choices per category, and then it was up to 500 SDA students to pick who deserved their vote. The groups included the year in music, movies, videogames, blunders etc. It was hard for the avid babysitters to pick a winner for “The Bring Your Little Sibling” section. And DVR junkies sat at their desk trying to choose their favorite “Reality Show” for at least ten minutes. Hard decisions were made and bullets were finally circled. Not going to lie- it took a while to tally it up and get through all of the concluding student comments about Twilight. For example one senior girl scribbled in pink writing, “Twilight is my life. Edward is hott!” Even a freshman boy wrote in, “Twilight was AWESOME!” Aside from the vampire pandemonium, take a little time out of your schedule to get to know the art section (starting on page 22). It took so long to produce you might as well call it our baby.

Arts Editor Zach Garcia Circus Animal Fun Editor Eric McCoy Sports Editors Eric Peck Sean Znachko Nicole Fisher Copy Editor Ben Johnson Photo Editors Kendall Daasnes Liz Mills Staff Writers Emily Bartram, Ariel Chao, Taylor Chapin, Alexis Cook León, Paige Ely, Nika Fate-Dixon, Dimitri Fautsch, Danielle Gradisher, Andrew Kasselmann, Kirby Lochner, Madison Lyon, Deanna Melin, Nina Moussavi, Emily Ratajkowski, Alysse Rathburn, Ana Reyes, Kerry Roberson, Kyle Shohfi, Robin Sickels, McKenna Taylor, Savanna Vrevich, Shannon Wright Advisor Tim Roberts San Dieguito Academy Room 93 800 Santa Fe Drive Encinitas, CA 92024 (760) 753-1121 x5161

Notice The Mustang is the student newspaper of San Dieguito Academy. Advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the newspaper. The Mustang is an open forum which welcomes letters. Letters can be submitted to room 93, emailed to sdamustang@hotmail.com, or mailed to the above address.

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Cal State budget cuts The CSU system may have to cut enrollment next year due to a lack of funding. andrew kasselmann

or the first time in its history, the California State University has declared a system wide impaction that will result in fewer students admitted for next fall. Enrollment may be cut systemwide by 10,000 students. This decision comes as a response to the state’s worsening fiscal crisis and because of the anticipation of additional proposed budget cuts, according to information released by the CSU. The CSU already serves 10,000 students for whom the state provides no funding, and according to information released by the CSU, indications from the state seem to say that this year will be the second year in a row that the CSU does not receive money from the state to keep up with enrollment growth. This has played a large factor in the potential enrollment cuts. “Because the state is unable to provide the resources needed to fully fund demand, we are forced to make this difficult decision,” said CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed. “We cannot admit students if we are unable to provide adequate classes or instruction, support services or classroom facilities. We are taking this step to ensure the academic quality of the institution.” These enrollment cuts come at a time when the demand to attend a CSU is on the rise. Fall 2009 applications are up by almost 20 percent from the same time last year. Seniors still have a chance. SDA counselor, Candice Rolfsmeyer says it is not all necessarily as bad as it seems. She said, “Any student qualified is still guaranteed admission to some school.” Rolfsmeyer also notes that very many CSU’s are still accepting applications even now. This shows that the enrollment cuts are really only affecting the most popular of the CSU’s like San Diego State and the Cal Poly’s she said. The other schools are still accepting applications even now. Rolfsmeyer advises that if seniors really want to get into a CSU, it is best to look past the common schools to find an opening.

liz mills

A QUICK RACE Sophomores Laura Fleck, Connor Brownell, and Luis Cervantes make a speech together during the nominating convention on Dec. 12. The three Junior Director candidates made their speeches together because, like most of the class directors, they were running unopposed.

ASB leaders elected

After about two weeks of fluorescent flyers, tape art on walls, and quirky speeches, the new ASB executives were chosen. None of the elected executives have been in ASB before. paige ely

evin Brice junior, was elected Tuesday as the new ASB president. Junior Henry Chesnutt was elected Vice President, junior Max Oltersdorf was elected Secretary, and junior Ally Zimbalist was elected Treasurer. None of the elected executives have been in ASB before, excluding Zimbalist’s experience in middle school. ASB advisor, Rob Keillor said it should not be a problem: “What I’m most concerned about is not their lack of experience but a passion for their school and classmates, getting them connected and involved,” he said. Most students ran to do just that: “I wanted to run because I want to be more involved in the school and have my opinions heard. I also wanted to help lead the ASB class,” Zimbalist said.“I wanted the opportunity to serve

SDA, the greatest school in the world,” Brice said. Many class directors are returners and enjoy ASB. And while the executives are all new to ASB, the majority of the class directors have been in ASB before. “I really enjoy ASB. It’s really fun and everyone gets along,” new Junior Director Luis Cervantes, sophomore, said. New Senior Director Jenn Godfrey, junior, agrees, “Even the grudge work is fun.” Students love the school, but want to make a few changes. As far as change is concerned, most students plan to keep up the good work students have done in the past. “The current sophomore directors are doing a great job, and I just hope to do as great as a job as they are doing,” new Sophomore Director Marisa Blanke, freshman, said.

However, there are just a few things the executives would like to add. Zimbalist would like to plan some more creative activities, like Chesnutt’s idea to have another ping pong tournament, as well as to improve the recycling program we have. Brice’s goal is to have the school become more integrated in the community. The biggest goal of the executives is to have an atmosphere open to suggestions and advice. “Not many people know that they have a say in what happens in ASB,” Oltersdorf said. There is a suggestion box in the library, I strongly advise that if you see something you don’t like, file a suggestion/complaint. We will do everything in our power to make sure it gets taken care of.” New executives will bring with them big change. Having so many new faces in ASB will be a large change. “It will be different, but it

will add a new vibe,” Keillor said. “I can teach them. It might take a month or two, but this is my 13th year. I just may have to work a little bit harder.” Overall, there is a lot of work involved in ASB, but the students are looking forward to the challenge. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s really rewarding,” new Junior Director Connor Brownell, sophomore, said. “I’m a little apprehensive, but mostly really excited,” Brice said. When asked how they felt when they won, students often responded in the same way: “It feels amazing!” Zimbalist said. Many students said they were ecstatic to have been elected, and would like to thank the people who voted for them. Oltersdorf said that it was a blast campaigning, but as Brice said, “I am very excited for the opportunity to serve my student body but also relieved that these very busy weeks are past me.”

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Eating on a dollar a day Teacher Kerri Leonard’s experiment to raise poverty awareness generates national media attention. alex matthews

nglish teacher Kerri Leonard took drastic measures to increase poverty awareness this September: rather than writing or speaking about it, she experienced poverty first-hand. For one whole month Leonard and her partner, La Costa Canyon teacher Christopher Greenslate spent only $1 on food every day. The magnitude of the attention their experiment could receive wasn’t realized until a New York Times writer stumbled upon the blog they kept throughout the month after they had already finished the diet. The writer wrote an article that led to even more national attention, including a segment on the nationally syndicated TV show “Inside Edition,” and a segment on the “FOX & Friends” morning show, which was featured on the Yahoo front page for several days last week, Leonard said. The idea started from a conversation about their excessive grocery bills in May, and, after Leonard and Greenslate saw the interest it drew from friends, they decided that it would be an effective way to raise awareness about poverty. For the two vegans, the diet was a challenge: it allowed such little variety that it would have caused health concerns in the long term, Leonard said. In addition, because the couple had to purchase all their food in bulk, it required excessive preparation: Leonard spent several Saturdays preparing foods such as refried beans, garbanzo beans, and bread, she said. Even with the careful planning that went into the diet, Leonard and Greenslate still were living on a reduced number of calories each day, and, according to Leonard, the most noticeable effect was exhaustion. Some of her students complained that she had been cranky during the diet’s course, and every day after lunch all she wanted to do was spend her prep period sleeping, she said. Another issue Leonard and Greenslate encountered was

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dealing with food or costs that were not explicitly included in their budget. They decided to use their Costco membership, though the money it saved them on produce only allowed them a quarter heart of romaine lettuce and a quarter of a carrot as a salad. On Leonard and Greenslate’s blog, they wrote about the diet and recorded their daily costs. “Things [to write about] would come up during the day,” Leonard said. She noted one entry in which she contemplated the irony of eating for one dollar every day and then brushing her teeth with a five-dollar tube of toothpaste every night. On the blog, there is a Paypal for donations that Leonard and Greenslate plan to give to the Community Resource Center. The blog raised over $2,000, and the couple was scheduled to donate it to the CRC yesterday. A New York Times reporter first found their blog after the experiment had ended and wrote an article about it, Leonard said. Since the article was published on Nov. 3, Greenslate and Leonard have been contacted by the Christian Science Monitor, “Inside Edition,” People magazine, the “Rachael Ray Show,” “The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet,” “FOX & Friends,” and “Oprah.” A book agent also contacted the couple. Though there are no official plans, if Leonard and Greenslate are able to find a publisher, they may do new experiments about the cost of eating healthy in America and write a book about it, she said. Leonard’s experience not only conveyed a message, but also gave her a new perspective: “I also learned what my own assumptions were about poverty,” she said. Leonard was shocked when she realized that with the dollar-a-day budget she could not afford fresh produce. Experiencing it first-hand really allowed her to fully understand how little impoverished people have access to in terms of food on a daily basis. Leonard saw the experience itself as a valuable one, but the highlight of the experience was, “Finishing?” Leonard joked.

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CommUnity Day mixes students Students were grouped by last name for CommUnity Day, forcing students to fraternize with unfamiliar faces. kyle shohfi

ommUnity Day had a new look to it this year, with a new way of grouping students together and different activities for them to participate in. Students were assigned to their CommUnity Day classroom based on alphabetical order of last name, resulting in a room full of people who did not necessarily know each other particularly well. Students CommUnicate their feeling about groups When asked if she liked the way CommUnity Day groups were formed this year, Michelle Lara, senior, said, “Yeah, actually I think that more people were

open about it.” Although the alphabetical groups generally placed students away from peers they know well, some students found themselves stuck with someone they know all too well. “The only reason people wouldn’t like it would be because they would be stuck with their sibling,” Lara said. According to Blaze Newman, putting students in unfamiliar groups was intended to decrease the chatter and disrespect that facilitators found in previous years when established homerooms were used for CommUnity Day groups. Although the facilitators may have appreciated the lack of talking and socializing during the CommUnity activities periods,

some students felt that the quiet may have taken away from the discussions. “I thought it was good in the sense that you got to meet people you didn’t know, but because of that you don’t get as in depth [in the discussions],” said Cole Pittsford, junior. Groups will be randomly selected next year again. Junior Dana Pede, member of the CommUnity Day homeroom, said that groups next year will not be determined by homerooms, but perhaps by last name again or even possibly by first. The idea of determining the groups based on another class remains a consideration, but seems unlikely at this point, Pede said.

alex matthews

RIDIN’ THE WAVE Students line up in front of the 120’s building to await the start of a schoolwide wave that happened at the end of CommUnity Day.

Formal 2009 approaching

Now you see them...

Formal will be a “Backstage Pass” to the House of Blues.

A new College Board policy will allow students to hide some SAT scores from colleges. The policy will take effect starting with the class of 2010. andrew kasselmann

he day students take the SAT is always filled with stress from the time they get up, until the test is done. Even after the test, students spend the next month or so wondering about their score and whether or not it will be good enough to get them into the college that they want. With its new score reporting policy that allows students to hide bad scores from colleges, the College Board wants to help relieve that stress. According to collegeboard. com, its new SAT score reporting policy, called Score Choice, is “designed to reduce student stress and improve the test-day experience.” College Board’s new policy will give students the option to choose the SAT scores by sitting (test date) and SAT Subject Test scores by individual test that they send to colleges. This new ability will be open to students graduating in the class of 2010 after the March

2009 SAT, according to the College Board website. Students graduating in 2010 can also choose whether or not to send scores from tests they took prior to the March 2009 test. Score Choice is optional and free; if students do not select which scores they want to send, all of their scores will be sent to colleges. College Board states that all students will be able to access Score Choice on the web or by calling College Board’s customer service. Junior Dustin Atlas is planning on using the new Score Report, because he wants, “to look better to colleges with only good scores showing.” Policy could be detrimental if not used carefully. SDA counselor, Candice Rolfsmeyer warned, however, that Score Report may not be as great as it seems. “It might actually hurt students,” she said. Colleges are often looking for well-roundedness and send-

ing only scores from a certain subject area, like science, because they are the best, may actually make you look worse Rolfsmeyer said. When it comes to the SAT reasoning test, some colleges take a student’s best score from each section and create the best score possible, so there is no

point in hiding a reasoning score from them she said. Some colleges will want to see all of your scores anyway. “Unless students know what their college is looking for that particular year, they should be careful about what they hide,” Rolfsmeyer said.

personal best and worst Best

“When I got my license, it was pretty sick.” - Chad Timmins, junior.

Worst

“One time I was driving to East Coast Pizza, and instead of going left out of the parking lot, I turned right,. Then, to correct my novice mistake, I made a U-turn at the stop sign that my Plymouth Minivan barely made. Now the trip would have turned out just on par, if I had continued the standard route, but I continued my newb-age and turned right on Santa Fe and went past the freeway. I then committed a U-turn on the roundabout and turned onto the freeway that I had passed not so long ago. Being the newb that I truly am, I had to ask which exit to take; I was barely able to maneuver my Shag-Wagon off of the freeway while someone yelled, “TURN HERE.” The rest of the trip was like butter.” - Alex Haddad, junior.

driving

Sparkles on your tux, sweat running down your neck, and a puncture wound or two on your feet from the idiot dancing to your left who refused to remove his shoes. These are just of the few souveneirs students bring home from Winter Formal every year. Winter formal is at the House of Blues in the Gaslamp Quarter on Friday, Feb. 6. “It’s a very club-like atmosphere,” said ASB Director Rod Keillor. “It’s got a balcony so you can overlook the dance floor. You’re going to be packed in there. It’ll be fun.” This year’s theme is Backstage Pass. The tickets, which are $39$49 depending on when they are bought, are going to be like VIP passes hanging on a cord around students’ necks, according to Keillor. The dancefloor will be located downstairs. Upstairs, there will be drinks, snacks, and a resting area, along with a separate room to play Rockband and a photographer, Keillor said. ASB estimates that 700 students may attend and hopes to raise $10,000 this year, like last year. - Kerry Roberson and Savanna Vrevich.

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SDA on TV Channel 8 news does a segment about the SDA Career Pathways program. nina moussavi

very week, Channel 8 news chooses one school to honor as an “8’s cool school of the week.” They do a short news segment every week on a different San Diego County school each time. Channel 8 news chose San Dieguito Academy to honor as “8’s cool school of the week” on Nov. 17. SDA was honored for their career pathways program that is offered to all grades. Prior to the broadcast, Assistant Principal, Jeanne Jones was informed of the honor and took

camera crews and reporters on a tour of the elective classes to interview students and teachers. “San Dieguito Academy prides itself in providing handson training in careers that students are hoping to pursue,” says Jones. Through the Career Pathways program, SDA offers classes such as auto shop, silk screening, woodshop, and Health Care Essentials to offer a small taste of what it would be like in the real world. “It’s not enough to just learn from books and sit in classrooms, students need real life experiences,” Jones said.

Newspaper wins award The Mustang receives one of the National Scholastic Press Association’s most prestigous honors. alex matthews

t the National Scholastic Press Association’s annual fall convention in St. Louis this year, it was announced that The Mustang won a Pacemaker Award. According to an NSPA press release, the Pacemaker has existed since 1927 and is considered “one of the most prestigious awards in scholastic journalism.” The Mustang was one of four high school newsmagazines rec-

ognized; there are four categories, and, out of the 373 papers entered, 24 winners were chosen. The winners are selected based on critiques that cover various elements of journalism: writing, reporting, content, design, photography, and organization, among other things. In 2007, The Mustang was a finalist for the award but did not win. The contest is judged by a member of the Newspaper Association of America; this year The Virginian-Pilot of Hampton Roads, VA judged.

personal best and worst “Obama winning the election.” - Tatiana Skomski, freshman. “The Dark Knight. Batman was the best! I’m getting it for Christmas. It was the first scary movie that I’ve ever liked.” - Caroline Pollock, junior.

Worst “Proposition 8 was the worst thing that happened this year.” - Jeff Hicks, senior. “I was in science class and I stood up and started walking to my teacher because I had to talk to her. The strap of my backpack got tangled beween both of my legs and I tripped. I landed on my knees and face-planted on the floor. I was really embarassed.” - Jake Bordage, freshman.

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random

Best

Need help with ESSAYS? Make an appointment with the Writing Lab in the library

The Archetype We will publish your literature, poetry, art, or photography

Submit to sda.archetype@gmail.com

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Making Music

Students banded together to create a musical extravaganza. Story by Deanna Melin. Photos by Kendall Daasnes and Liz Mills

P 5.

1. Winners of the contest, Spydersylk, perform at the finals on Nov. 20 in the gym. 2. Blunt Force Trauma frontman, Kevin Kennedy, sings during a lunch performance. 3. After having technical problems, Aaron Dennis jams out during the final song at the finals. 4. Tan Sister Radio drummer, Andrew Ware, counts in to a song at the finals. 5. The Brackets guitarist/singer, Valerie Metzger-Smith, and bassist, Laura Harding, perform during the second half of a lunch performance.

reparations for Battle of the Bands started in late September when ASB sent out sign-up sheets to every homeroom. Sixteen bands signed up, and for three weeks, starting on Oct. 27, the bands performed at lunch. The judges then narrowed the contestants down to six finalists. These bands competed on Thursday, Nov. 20, in the SDA gym. The contestants were judged by English teacher David Tow, and seven other judges. “The contestants were judged mostly on originality, talent, and crowd response,” said Tow. “Some of the bands were very close, and several people went back and forth on them. But others were more clear-cut.” The final rankings were in first place, Spydersylk (sophomores David Yuter, and Evan Angelico; seniors Jeff Hicks and Zach Garcia); in second, Amun Ra (junior’s Tory Bader, Felipe Pizzoli, Eric Gudmundson, Clinton Frericks, and Lukas Weiss); in third, Anti-League (seniors Nick Armstrong and Canaan Schlesinger; junior Kirby Lochner). Tow was asked to judge because he writes music reviews for “Music Magazine” and “San Diego City Beat.” At the finals, there was one vendor: Noodles & Co. ASB gave out $300 in prizes, but still made a profit from the entry fee. All of the sound equipment for “Battle of the Bands” was handled by music teacher Jeremy Wuertz. Teacher Oly Norris’ TV Production class provided a live film feed, led by junior Kevin Brice. “[The TV Production class] did a great job,” said Keillor. After the competition, Spydersylk celebrated by going to McDonald’s. “My heart stirred because Spydersylk revived a dead language in a song,” said Armstrong. He celebrated achieving third place by seeing the movie “Twilight” that night.

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Students want more library hours

Get Smart

Results of a recent survey of students indicates that they want longer library hours. ana reyes

ccording to a recent survey, two-thirds of students want SDA’s library to stay open for more hours after school. This year the library closes 20 minutes after school every day. This is because, earlier this school year, math tutoring moved from the library to a classroom due to the number of disruptive students, said math teacher Amy Johnson. “[The library] became too loud and noisy for students to concentrate. Many students came in there just to screw around,” she said. When the library opened in January 2007, math tutoring used the building, allowing the library to remain open to all students after school for at least one hour several times a week, said school librarian Cathy Straitiff. “It’s ridiculous that [the library] closes at 3:30,” said sophomore Jessica Bloom. “If I have to wait after school for a soccer game, where am I supposed to do my homework until then?”

When approached with the problem, Principal Michael Grove said, “The first thing that needs to be done is to get a sense of what the students want.” To find this out, Grove sent out a survey to 11 homerooms this past Monday. The survey had three options of hours that students could choose from: Option 1: 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Option 2: 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Option 3: 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or 5:00 p.m. Out of the 225 counted surveys, 13.3 percent of the students voted for option 1, 24 percent for option 2, and about 63 percent for option 3. The second part of the survey asked students if they would use the library if it were open until 8 p.m. a couple nights a week. About 37 percent of the students said they would while 63.3 percent of the students said they would not. Grove said he will soon meet with the library staff to discuss what can be done to meet the students’ request for longer library hours. He also plans to see if any funding is available for keeping the library open.

personal best and worst Best

“So, I wanted to see this band play in LA and my family gets really nervous about venues out of the area. It was looking really slim that I could go and it was disappointing because this band rarely tours the U.S. Then on the day of the concert, my parents relented and let me go to LA with two of my friends. My friend had a $40 Subway coupon, so I got a free lunch when we got there. Later when we were in line for the concert, I met this guy who had these chopsticks tattooed on his arm and he ended up standing right next to us when the band started. “When people started moshing, I got picked up by the shoulders and moved out of the way because I’m really small. But, my friends kept grabbing me from falling over, and so did the chopsticks guy. At the encore the band played my favorite song, and we stayed out until like three.” - Ashley Armstrong, senior

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concerts

“Well, me and my friends went to see Snoop Dogg’s concert over summer in San Diego. We ended up hopping a fence to get into the pit a few times, but we kept getting barred. Somehow, we all split up and jumped over the fence when the security wasn’t looking, and we all met back up at the front. The concert was super good, and then we were leaving, and we saw Snoop’s drummer so we started talking to him. “Eventually his uncle randomly came out of the backstage area, and we just went backstage with him. We were hanging out for a little and talking to his security, and then Snoop came out. He was super nice, and we got some pictures with him and his security. It was a really fun night, and we all couldn’t stop talking about it for like a week.” - Ellen Wright, senior

Jan. 8,9,14,and 15 in the roundabout theatre

eed help with: homework? the SAT/ACT? college applications?

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2008: the highs and lows Every year the staff of The Mustang comes up with their personal bests and worsts of the year. Here, in our traditional staff editorial, is the ‘08 results.

Palin

Worst: Sarah Palin killing turkeys. Best: Tina Fey’s Sarah Palin impersonation. Best: Stephen Colbert running for president. Worst: Stephen Colbert losing.

Obama

Best: I voted. Best: Being able to witness the first black president being elected. Best: Watching Obama’s acceptance speech after he won the presidency. Worst: Realizing it would be 77 more days before he would take office.

Prop 8

Best: Realizing I’m most definitely not alone in my hatred of Proposition 8 and “Twilight” fanatics. Worst: Prop 8 ruining my Obama high. Worst: Prop 8 passing.

Harry Potter

Best: “Harry Potter” obsessions are finally over. Worst: “Harry Potter” being replaced by “Twilight.” Worst: The sixth “Harry Potter” movie getting postponed.

Movies

Best: Watching “The Dark Knight” premiere at midnight. Worst: Heath Ledger dying. Worst: Watching “The Happening.” Worst: The third High School Musical movie being in theatres.

Misc.

Best: Sleeping in with a free first. Worst: Still being late. Best: Chipotle “Free burrito” day. Worst: Paying six dollars for a Chipotle burrito every other day. Best: People finally seem to have stopped talking about W.o.W. Worst: People who think they’re cool because they listen to MGMT. Best: Becoming a millionaire. Worst: Waking up from my dream.

College

Best: Getting enthusiastic letters of recommendation for college. Best: Getting all applications in. Worst: Knowing I won’t get into more than three of the schools. Worst: The impact of the recession on my college funds: my savings for college are actually going backward!

School year countdowns

Best: When junior year ended! Worst: When junior year started! Best: Realizing we only have one and half years left of high school. Worst: Realizing we only have one and a half years left till we are forced to start our lives.

Olympics

Best: Watching the Olympics at two in the morning. Worst: Suddenly realizing that China has the resources and manpower to take over the world and enslave us in their fortune cookie factories.

Bathroom talk

Best: The boys’ bathroom having hot water. Worst: The girls’ bathroom in senior court always being closed. Worst: The boys’ bathroom being closed half the time.

am writing in response to a letter to the editor written by Emily Thompson that was posted in last month’s copy of the Mustang. In the article, she stated what she believed to be facts. I feel the need to clarify some of the points made because I believe it’s important that everyone know what is actually the facts. I would like to start by pointing out that calling people’s beliefs “narrow-minded one-sided ideas” isn’t going to get your point across. Allowing same-sex couples to have a civil union is not the same and does not carry the same legal benefits as marriage. The differences regarding marriage and civil unions are issues involving federal versus state benefits. A civil union ends at the state line and if issued in the state of California does not make the two partners anything more than strangers once they leave the state, whereas marriage

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is recognized and honored in all states. According to Article IV Section 2 of the United States Constitution, “The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.” Meaning that if a same-sex couple is allowed to marry in one state, their marriage must be recognized in all other states as well. According to Amendment 14 of the United States Constitution, “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.” Homosexuals are citizens of the United States as well and it seems unconstitutional that California would pass a law taking away their privilege to get married. The California Education Code, Section 51933, states that if a school chooses to provide comprehensive sexual health education, “Instruction and

“...a soccer game on formal?” Andrew Weinfield, senior

Water fountain drama

Best: The water fountain by the finance office. Worst: The water fountain’s handle going missing. Best: Leaving math class for five minutes to fill up my water bottle. Worst: Discovering that my favorite water fountain by the office didn’t work.

“...my suits?” Stephen Fisher, economics teacher

SAT

Best: Finishing SAT classes. Worst: Realizing it was a waste of money—I’m still gonna bomb it. Best: Getting the SAT over with. Worst: Finding out that my score was bad and that I would need to retake it.

“...no late starts?” Hannah Ray, sophomore

Letter to the editor I

What’s up with...

materials shall teach respect for marriage and committed relationships.” Nowhere in the education code does it state that homosexual or heterosexual relationships will be taught as appropriate or not. It states that it shall teach respect for marriage. Marriage of all forms shall be respected. Comprehensive sexual health education is an optional course if offered and the parents have the option to allow or prohibit their child to be taught. People will lose no right to send their children to public schools in fear that their children might be taught that “a same-sex relationship is appropriate.” Proposition 8 is about civil rights not religious rights. Religions (and churches) are already protected under the first amendment of the constitution. Between May and November, same-sex marriage was legal in the state of California. Not once in those eight months was there

an issue with churches being forced to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies. In her letter to the editor Emily Thompson stated, “Religious beliefs do not come from the teachings of humans but from God.” I don’t believe this statement to be true or appropriate. First of all, whose God are you speaking about? And second of all, not all religious beliefs are the same and cannot be talked about in one sense. Also under the first amendment, we are all entitled to our freedom of speech and religion. You are entitled to your opinions and I am entitled to mine. The reason I have written this letter is to make sure that it is recognized that the line “these are the facts” should really be “these are my beliefs” in the letter to the editor written in last month’s issue of the Mustang. -Dana Watchorn

“...mismatched patterns?” Canaan Schlesinger, senior

“...super tiny freshmen?” Eric Holakiewicz, junior

opinions

the

mustang 12.19.08

2008: the highs and lows Every year the staff of The Mustang comes up with their personal bests and worsts of the year. Here, in our traditional staff editorial, is the ‘08 results.

Palin

Worst: Sarah Palin killing turkeys. Best: Tina Fey’s Sarah Palin impersonation. Best: Stephen Colbert running for president. Worst: Stephen Colbert losing.

Obama

Prop 8

Best: Realizing I’m most definitely not alone in my hatred of Proposition 8 and “Twilight” fanatics. Worst: Prop 8 ruining my Obama high. Worst: Prop 8 passing.

Harry Potter

Best: “Harry Potter” obsessions are finally over. Worst: “Harry Potter” being replaced by “Twilight.” Worst: The sixth “Harry Potter” movie getting postponed.

Movies

Best: Watching “The Dark Knight” premiere at midnight. Worst: Heath Ledger dying. Worst: Watching “The Happening.” Worst: The third High School Musical movie being in theatres.

Misc.

College

School year countdowns

Olympics

Best: Watching the Olympics at two in the morning. Worst: Suddenly realizing that China has the resources and manpower to take over the world and enslave us in their fortune cookie factories.

Bathroom talk

Best: The boys’ bathroom having hot water. Worst: The girls’ bathroom in senior court always being closed. Worst: The boys’ bathroom being closed half the time.

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“...a soccer game on formal?” Andrew Weinfield, senior

Water fountain drama

“...my suits?” Stephen Fisher, economics teacher

SAT

“...no late starts?” Hannah Ray, sophomore

Letter to the editor I

What’s up with...

“...mismatched patterns?” Canaan Schlesinger, senior

“...super tiny freshmen?” Eric Holakiewicz, junior

opinions

the

mustang 12.19.08

It’s quick. It’s easy. It’s offensive. As people pay more attention to their plastic speaking devices than to their friends, txting isn’t a “lol” matter.

dynamic duo

dish out the latest drama to my best friend before homeroom, and kerry roberson & savanna vrevich after a while I realize she isn’t responding in her normal manner, considering how life-altering the hottest gossip happens to be. I glance over, and the reflection of the screen that is absorbing all of her attention makes me squint. Apparently, her cell phone is much more riveting than my story, so I halt mid-sentence and let her finish. Snapping her phone closed, she finally looks me in the eye and decides to tune into the scandal I’m updating her on. “Who the heck is so important?” I demand, and she merely

apologizes. I let it slide- just this time, I promise myselfbecause, of course, I did the same thing to her yesterday. We all deny it, but texting has become a constant habit that we can’t shake. It’s more convenient to shoot out TEXTING A circle of students talk with their fingers. duke it out over text messaging. a text to someone rather than There’s a reason texting agcall, and when we’d rather avoid gravates our parents. Not only a face-to-face conversation, we

does it distract us from what we’re doing, it also can also be insulting. You know exactly what I’m talking about. How many times have you tried to talk to people who are offering monotone, monosyllabic word advice because they are engrossed with a silent kendall daasnes dialogue? We are all guilty as charged. I find myself committing this crime as often as I scrutinize others for the same reason.

It makes you feel insignificant when you’re speaking and no one’s listening, especially when your conversation is rejected for a virtual one that is seemingly more important than what you have to say. No one ever thinks to confront these avid texters, we simply talk into thin air and let it go- just one more time. Think about this next time you are tempted to commit the most socially acceptable crime: Is sending this message so vital that you can’t concentrate on what’s going on around you? Does answering your text matter enough that you’re willing to make those around you feel unimportant? The answer is almost definitely no. Honestly, put your phone away, and live in the moment. The audible gossip awaits you.

Procrastination... Eh, I’ll just write this later.

hurlo?

rocrastination: you’re a finished piece of work day after beautiful thing. Without day and wanting to continue you, procrastination, I would messing with it, adding more never have been able to work on unnecessary and unnoticeable in-depth science fair projects at details. It has been wired in my two in the morning brain that nothing is the day of deadline, truly “done” until the after months of teacher rips it from my teacher warnings to sweaty palms, and I do avoid doing just that. believe some call this Without you, procrasannoying trait perfectination, I could not tionism. possibly will myself to In some sick way, michelle cancellier write dozens of mock I think I seek out historical articles and the pressure that comes along compile them into a catalog with the due date countdown, deep into the night (even withthe question of “Is it humanly out the help of my long-asleep possible to finish this project class partner). right now?” The answer to most Then again, without you, inexperienced procrastinators maybe I wouldn’t have been (is there such a thing? you either the only one, in a class of firsts, are a full-blown, raging procrasseconds, and thirds, to receive tinator or you are one of those a fourth place ribbon at the perfect, angelic workload-realisCounty Science Fair. Maybe I tic students) would be no, but I would have realized exactly how think I’m entirely too terrified much work that history catalog of being “found out” to admit required before, you know, it was that I really don’t have the time actually due. to complete that PowerPoint One time I did complete a featuring grunions and their major project early. I’m pretty habits. sure it was sixth grade. All I You see, if I do every assignremember is looking at my ment well and it is turned in on

liz mills

STILL AWAKE Staying up till 3 o’clock ain’t no thang when you’re a full-blooded procrastinator.

time, the truth is that no one should care how it gets done—so be it if I did it while every other San Diegan slept, even if the reason I didn’t start earlier was that I was too busy watching every trashy television program in existence. What’s also funny about the combination of procrastination and perfectionism is that it’s really not funny at all. Just about

once every school night, I’ll snap out of my dilly-dallying and wonder why I’m looking at the Facebook photo albums of every friend and non-friend instead of writing that AP English paper I swore to myself would be completed hours ago. Thanks again, procrastination. Embarrassingly enough, I have never had a reason to learn time-management skills, either.

That one time I was involved with a sport, I think it was fourth grade, (horseback riding, ha, probably doesn’t even count) I really didn’t have any vital homework to complete. Maybe subconsciously I’m just preparing myself for a career in which I will be working right up to the deadline, day after day. At least, I’ll keep telling myself that this trait will pay off someday.

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mustang 12.19.08

Closed doors? A load of crap Inspired by the work of Poe, I realized that the bathroom situation around the library needs to be addressed.

the office

nce upon a lunchtime dreary, while I wandered weak and weary Through many a wet and misty hallway of forgotten doors, While I ambled, dodging lightning, suddenly there came a eric peck tightening, As of something almost frightening, a fright’ning I had felt before “’Tis some Juicy Juice™,” I muttered, “opening my bladder doors, Only this, and nothing more.” Ah, distinctly I remember my friends’ desperate “C’mons” As the separate Scantrons wrought their ghosts upon the floor, Eagerly I wished the bell-ring; sadly I was left a-smelling

Of the awfulness dwelling —dwelling behind the bathroom door… You may be confused, but I draw the reference to Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven” because this is most definitely a gloomy subject. The above event is a true story: I have often found myself on my way to one of the bathrooms located as bookends to the library, only to find that one of them is always closed. I’m reminded of the Room of Requirement from Harry Potter, except in reverse. Whenever I need a certain bathroom, it must know I’m in the vicinity and denies me entrance. Trust me, I’ve tried to figure out a pattern— my bedroom walls are plastered with equations and diagrams, but to no avail.

I thought I had it figured out: about a month ago, I noticed that the south bathroom (note to guys: the one with little walls between the urinals; to girls: the one to your left as you leave the library) was open before lunch and closed after lunch. This pattern repeated itself for a few days, and I thought I had found my answer. But then one afternoon, as I smugly trounced the 26.2 miles down the hill from Cooper’s classroom to the north bathroom— the one that was supposed to be open after lunch— I was met with a dead end. Furrowing my brow angrily, I took the 15 seconds to stomp across the front of the library and use the south bathroom. You may want some answers, as do I. I have no solid theories, but I have a logical hypothesis.

Once you build two bathrooms so close together, it’s just doubling the work for the custodians. Not to mention that I saw with my own eyes— disclaimer, this is gross— crap on the floor of the north bathroom. Who craps on the floor? Plus it was in the stall. Somebody took the time to squat right next to a toilet and crap on the floor. If you’re reading this, floorcrapper, I ask you to stop such actions. Nobody wants to clean that up. So it would seem that one door is closed to make things easier for the custodians, and I don’t think anybody can have a problem with that. A problem is the unpredictability of such a thing. As a primitive person, I don’t like change, and not knowing which bathroom will be open

at any certain time of day is not another thing I need to stress about. It would be nice if there were some kind of obvious pattern created, say, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, the south bathroom would be open. Any pattern at all would be better than the complete ambiguity of things now. Ideally, one of the bathrooms should be moved somewhere else, somewhere not 15 seconds away. I suggest right in the middle of the hill, since it’s always bothered me that there’s no bathroom up there. So it seems this problem may not be solved anytime soon, and what you just read are the ravings of a madman. Guess I have more in common with Poe than I thought.

Fiscal report: seniors ‘09 Hey, our final year’s not all about parties and ditch days; college apps require serious cash-money!

like my face?

et’s face it. Senior year? It’s such, you want to participate in ridiculously overpriced. every single school event. It all starts at the end of 11th School dances alone will grade, when you get bombarded set you back a pretty penny; by mail from “the Formal, Prom, and all the chosen” senior little dances in between can portrait company. be costly. That’s at least One letter. Two letfour toes right there. May ters. Three emails. not sound that bad, but It never stops, even have you ever tried to walk after their nonstop without your big and pinkie deanna melin harassment has toes? Neither have I, but I’m finally gotten you told it’s difficult. up off your lazy ass to take some Then there’s Battle of the pictures. Bands, Comedy Sportz, AirThen comes the first real bands, and every other little money-snatcher. Just getting school-sponsored event. some pictures taken, not too They may each only cost a big a deal. Fifty-nine dollars for few bucks, but it adds up. two changes of clothes? Not too With the beginning of senior unreasonable. However, should year comes also, unfortunately, you want to order prints of the college applications. More than professional photos, it will cost just an annoying time suck, you your non-dominant arm. these babies will each cost you at Lame, I know. I was fond of that least 60 bucks a pop. Applying arm, even though I’m rightto four schools? $240. Applyhanded. ing to 10? $600. That’s my right Preferably, the photos are arm, gone, vanished into thin handled by the end of summer. air. Oh, and you know what? It Senior year starts, and you get took my nose with it. Bummer, amped being the big man on man. campus. Then senior-sentimenOnce you’ve sent in your tality begins to set in. You begin applications, sacrificing two to realize that your high school important body parts to admisexperience has almost ended; as sions officers everywhere, it will

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liz mills

POOR UNFORTUNATE SOUL Barbie is just one example of what senior year has been costing the class of ‘09.

really set in that the end of high school is looming nearer and nearer. Just as a small sadness for all the good times begins to buzz at the back of your mind, a conveniently-timed catalog comes in the mail. There, you can buy all of your high school memorabilia goodies, so that the memories will never fade (not until you develop Alzheimer’s, at least). You can get your letterman jackets, high school rings, cap and gown, and graduation party invitations all in one convenient catalog. You can even get a plaque with an exact replica of your

diploma engraved on it, or a personalized name plate, so you too can feel like the lawyers and CEO’s in movies. The cost of these once-in-alife-time high school items: your abdominal muscles. Have you ever worked out really hard, then realized the next day exactly how much you use your abs? It’s like that, but exponentially worse. It sucks. So, what’s the damage so far: an arm for some pictures, four toes for dances and other school events, a right leg and nose for apps, and my 6-pack (not) for high school memorabilia I guess that makes me a legitimate am-

putee, now. Hey, maybe I can get a scholarship for that. But then, thankfully, at the end of it all comes college. Dorms, dining commons, autonomy—college symbolizes freedom to most people I know. It is also, however, the real money blender as far as expenses go. I’m sorry to inform you that attending college is going to cost you your head (but, hey, at least now you don’t have to worry about your missing nose, right?). So, let’s recap. You’re now a one-legged-onetoed-one-armed-no-abs-torso. Have fun with that. I guess that’s the cost of freedom.

opinions

the

mustang 12.19.08

Trouble with driving lesson With the DMV out of the way and permit in hand, my first driving lesson didn’t exactly go according to plan.

Got witty points?

irst impressions can be misleading. An example mckenna taylor of this would be meeting my driving trainer for my first driving lesson. She reminded me of Meryl Streep in the movie “Mamma Mia.” Her hair was that same white blonde color and I was just waiting for her to burst out in song. But she didn’t. Instead she made the two-hour driving lesson one of the most memorable, yet hectic experiences of my young life. To begin with, her car didn’t have the driver-in-training sticker on the rear that I expected for the new drivers on the road. This made me extremely nervous because the typical, crazy-fast driver would have no idea that I, the timid innocent newcomer, wasn’t used to this thing called driving. I couldn’t help but wonder if this lady knew what she was getting herself into when

photo courtesy of mckenna taylor

DRIVING This is what I Iook like at the wheel in my neighborhood.

she told me, “Start the car.” At first, everything went smoothly. I started out slow. With my foot hovering over the brakes, I thought, “This is going to be a piece of cake.” But then she wanted me to accelerate. One word. Whiplash. “Sorry,” I said. “That’s all right,” she said, trying to stay calm. Then we came to the first turn. I turned the wheel with both of my hands,

but then she yelled, “No! You have to pull the wheel with your right hand and then bring both hands back to ten and two.” The next turn came soon enough, so I tried again. I thought I had done it right. But no, I was criticized once again. It happened again and again, each time with her shouting at me that I was turning the wheel incorrectly. She was definitely

not the cheerful Meryl Streep that I had sung along with in the movie theatre, but instead Streep’s character in the movie “The Devil Wears Prada.” As she continued to give me instructions, I found myself looking at her when she was talking instead of at the road. This led to a sharp turn where I almost hit the front of another car. I immediately let my foot off the gas and she bellowed, “What are you doing? You’re gonna get us hit!” She took control of the wheel and told me to step on the gas. Two words. Whiplash again. When our lesson finally came to an end, the driving trainer surprised me. She didn’t run out of the car screaming but instead calmly walked up to my mom and said I had done well. She signed the paper saying I had completed my first driving lesson and drove off. I was so surprised because after complaining about how I was such an awful driver, she checked me off. Suddenly, I was reminded of my experience at the K1 Speed Go Kart Racing place. The K1 Speed instructors should have

never let me drive, or given me directions, for that matter. As soon as they said, “Don’t push the brake and gas pedals at the same time,” I was already thinking of doing just that. As I began to go around the course bordered with a red and white wall, I fell back from the group. I was dead last because I didn’t like to press down on the gas pedal. Finally, I had a sudden desire to go faster and I pressed down hard on the brake and gas pedals at the same time. My car spun and then instead of just hitting the wall, I went right under it, getting stuck halfway. My friend’s dad later joked, “You see, McKenna was trying to cheat by going under the wall!” I should have known then that driving was definitely not my talent. Even though I may have disappointed Meryl Steep, at least I took a chance on my first driving lesson and relived my experience at K1 Speed. Driving can be nerve-racking, hilarious, and sometimes annoying, but it’s all worth it in the end, or at least that’s what I keep telling myself.

Peace out, parentals Dearest, darlingest momsie and popsicle, I’m gonna go drive my pathetic excuse of a car up north. Be back Friday.

mob des??

even hours partner in crime. No annoying and 11 parents whipping out the road minutes. Four maps. We figured that if we hundred and got lost, sucks, but it would be forty-three just another story to tell our point five two friends when we got back. For miles. Helthe first hour or so we chatted, emily bartram loooo Santa while listening to our “Road Cruz. It was Trippin’-It” play list. me, my friend, two oversized We arrived in LA around three suitcases, and not one parent in and found our way, not getsight. We had freedom on our ting lost once I can proudly tell minds and directions in our you, to my friend’s older sister’s hands. apartment. There we would stay Leaving school after second the night and bright and early period, my friend and I anxthe next morning we would take iously went to my crap-mobile the train to Cal Poly, San Luis to embark on our small, but big Obispo. Advice to all you readleap out of Encinitas. But of ers, don’t stay up until threecourse, our first stop had to be thirty AM when you have to be In-N-Out. It’s not a legit road on a train at seven. It’s just not a trip without it. After the minor good idea. detour, we were off to see some The train was like any other; sisters and some colleges. compact with a hint of a stench Of course at first there was that one could never quite tell a major adrenaline rush of what exactly it was, and I don’t realizing it was just me and my think I would want to know

either. However, lucky for us, we befriended the chipper, plump train ticket-taker. He escorted us from our small, somewhat uncomfortable “unreserved” seating to the luxurious-ish “business class” section. Those seats were fa-bu-lous. Can you say legroom? We arrived in SLO around 12:30, where my eldest sister picked us up and we all drove from there to our final destination--UC Santa Cruz. Driving with her is quite the adventure. She somehow manages to drive her stick shift 1997 Honda Civic while eating Cheetos and answering her never-ending beeping cell phone. My friend and I wanted to kiss the ground when we got out of the car, but the fact that she was driving, and had our lives in the palm of her orangey-Cheetoed hands, stopped us from doing anything. After arriving, we lurked

downtown Santa Cruz. It was freezing. And I mean fer-reezing. I thought I was in Alaska or something. Before the trip I had called my sister and she said, “Oh you know, it gets kinda cold. You’ll be fine with a light jacket.” Liar. I was in jeans, a t-shirt, sweatshirt and pea coat and I still felt like I was a walking ice cube. Anyway, the next day we took a tour of the campus. It was amazing. Deer, everywhere. Okay, so maybe we only saw like two, but Santa Cruz is known for all their deer. The buildings are also right in the middle of a forest. Everywhere you go there are trees and plants and grass (real grass, not that dead wannabe stuff we have). But, the view from the soccer field is insane. It overlooks the freaking ocean. What a joke. We left early the next morning and headed back to San Luis

Obispo to take another train (no more business class for us…) to LA to get back in my little blue, I-Wonder-How-You-AreStill-Running car. From there our journey continued to Palm Springs. The free will flowing through our veins was running low, for we were once again going to be within parental regions. Our “no-parents!” road trip was about to come to a close as we arrived in Palm Springs, where my friend’s entire family was waiting for us. Oh the wonders of being free of parentals, out on the open road. Nothing beats the feeling of independence. It was just me and one of my best friends hitting the road and getting the heck out of here. There was nothing that could have stopped us. Actually maybe there was: LA traffic. I said, “Hey larger SUV behind me! Please don’t eat my car.” That would have sucked.

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opinions

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mustang 12.19.08

A requiem for a pun Puns are transforming from Optimus Prime to Megatron, but this time there’s no Shia LaBeouf to save us.

Get Shatnered!

he puns that I’ve made in derful world of jokes. There’s a my classes, while at the reason for the sudden bashing of receiving end of some hearty these types of corny jokes, and laughter that resulted in cardiac these jokes aren’t even on the arrest at the begincob. The “that’s what ning of the year, just she said” trend started haven’t been perup around two years forming up to par. ago, and while two One could even say years ago it was funny that I have been hitto say “that’s what she ting some bogeys. I said” to “that was amazdon’t know if it’s being” now it’s just plain cause the quality of tacky. People, for some dimitri fautsch the jokes themselves reason associate puns, have decreased, or because of their clichéd that lately because of a number nature, with the tactless and of bad puns by other classmates, generally unfunny “that’s what puns are becoming stereotyped she said” jokes. When compared as a lame joke. to the “that’s what she said” Puns are made unfairly preju- trend, puns have almost nothdiced because of a few kids that ing in common, in that puns decided to make a mockery of require cleverness, intelligence, the art form. In history class my and listening skills. While “that’s teacher was talking about forwhat she said” jokes necessitate mer president George Washingonly timing, and a crude sense ton, I said “Oh, he must have a of humor. lot of laundry to do” an excellent Puns, which were once the pun that should have warranted art form of jokes, used by nobila chant of “Dimitri! Dimitri!” ity and perfected by jesters, have along with me being lifted up in morphed into the pariahs of my chair Bar Mitzvah style. jokes. In Shakespeare’s time, Instead all I received were word play and puns were conpity laughs, and a few disgrunsidered clever, and made up a tled classmates. The problem large part of his plays. Now any was that instead of hearing the aspiring Broadway-writer, would pun and deciding if it was funny never dare to put a pun into his or not, people just skipped some otherwise intelligent and comsteps and dismissed the clever plex script, less he be ridiculed joke as being in bad taste. by his peers. The same stereotyping that People who actively tell puns goes on with races, and religion are now castigated to the lower has made its way to the wonreaches of society, and it takes

emily ratajkowski A KIND GESTURE Jesters, once the Casanovas of joke-telling, are now becoming the Urkels of the art form.

years to get back, when instead they should be idolized and have sacrifices performed in their honor. With all the stereotyping that has gone on, one would think that everybody has just finished

an intense game of Mavis Beacon. This typecasting needs to stop, like the Dodo or the T-Rex before it, puns are in danger of becoming an extinct beast. There is a solution though, people need to stop labeling puns as

bad jokes. Instead, they need to actually listen to the joke and then decide if it is worthy of applause or disdain. If this happens then the pun will flourish, just as the Wooly Mammoth and the Caspian Tiger didn’t.

A def rad ‘splaination of American slang This bangin’ fresh scope at slang has turned up some super fly beginnings. These legit origins may surprise you.

excellent indeed

am a native speaker of English place, I have adopted a strange but American slang is definite- fascination with the ever-changly not my mother tongue. You ing slang like a childless mother would think that after spendadopts puppies or shelter cats ing day in and day out with the instead of the missing bundle group that uses and of joy. coins the most slang, I’ve often found teenagers, I would find myself daydreammyself permeated with ing about the origin the colloquial language of slang. Where did I hear around me. “jacked up” come Instead, I seem to from? Was it some have been born with guy named Jack who danielle gradisher was so messed up a congenital defect preventing me from that people started picking up and utilizing slang calling other people and things without feeling as if I were by his name? This is what I impersonating a cooler, more in- think about in history class teresting, teenage-y-er me. In its when everyone else is drifting on

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lunch plans or drooling on their desk. With that in mind, you’ll understand why finding out the word “rad” was made popular by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles practically made me salivate, but for joy not sleep deprivation. This shortened form of “radical” is a stalwart exclamation of general awesomeness from the seventies that those nunchuck-wielding superheroes brought back in the nineties on their super popular kids television series. In fact, most current slang has been brought back from

past decades. I guess even the English language has to recycle in these difficult economic times. Even a current fav’ has been resurrected by chatty teens up and down the west coast. “Sweet” was first used as the adjective of high praise during the tail end of the Great Depression more than seventy years ago. That specific usage slipped away, as most slang does, only to reappear in the ‘70s along with big hair and bell bottoms. It resumed its on-again-off-again relationship in the early 2000s after the release of the cult-classic, Napoleon Dynamite. The fluidity of the Slang Fla-

vor of the Month, or sometimes the week, has always caught my interest. Especially when visiting with family and friends on the East Coast. Being ripping pissed is never good, but a juicy rager is always diggity dankskie to hang at. Having even the simplest conversation with these people always makes me wish for my decoder ring. Although these additions to English may seem unique, all languages change with time and constant use. The only language that never changes is one that is well and truly dead. Come on, have you ever heard any slang in Latin?

essays

the

Accepted

mustang 12.19.08 With all the advice doled out by English teachers regarding what not to write, Emily Walsh and Michelle Cancellier couldn’t resist a little satire.

Enter Personal Statement * Indicated required field Tip: Write your personal statement in a natural voice, so it conveys your inherent perfection. Present your ideas clearly and professionally, as if you are addressing Oprah or the United Nations. Personal statements less momentous than the compiled works of Shakespeare will be disqualified. Do not ask for assistance of any kind. We can tell if you do. Prompt #1 Describe the world you come from ― for example, your family, community or school ― and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations. *

he world I come from involves manicures once a week, monthly perms and, of course, daily exfoliating. Beauty is a way of life and the fact that I am gorgeous beyond words has allowed my world to be a very sunny place. From the age of six my mom has molded me into a lip gloss-wearing princess. During my childhood, I acquired a routine: beauty pageants on the weekends and home schooling/grooming during the week. It took a while to come up with a talent during my toddler years but, as my chubby baby paws developed into lovely lady hands, it was obvious that my talent was meant to be twirling a baton while roller skating and singing “God Bless America.” With such a talent, I invariably ended the night crying tears of joy as a tiara was placed atop my crunchy curls. And, if the talent section ever failed me, there was always plan B: the bathing suit portion, or should I say plan D, thanks to my Sweet 16 breast

augmentation. In these competitions I did have to overcome adversity, though. My challenge came in the form of the interview. The typical question was “If you had one wish what would it be?” My response was filled with “likes” and “ums,” something along the lines of, “Um… I guess I’d like to go to the moon with some scientists and see like what it is to do a real moon walk, MichaelDickson style.” This all changed after intensive treatment with my dog’s shock collar and brushing up on major popculture figureheads. I was cured and, to this day, I cringe in fear whenever I say “like.” My abilities of socializing and primping translated into success in things other than just pageants. Now at an exclusive private school, every day is a competition, with the categories of: who has the nicest highlights, who sports the best looking legs underneath their plaid skirt and who wears just the right amount of eyeliner and

mascara. Through these daily competitions I have come out on top yet again, winning this year’s title of Homecoming Queen. I can say with pride that the boys love me and the girls want to be me. Through this world of glamour and velour sweat suits I’ve come out with dreams for the future. These dreams include college of course. Some people want to go to college for an education and some for the social aspect; I find myself in the second group. With a background in popularity, my dreams include rushing a sorority and then acquiring a boyfriend. This boyfriend will become my husband and soon I will find myself as a homemaker with a great education and a hot husband. The world I come from is filled with joyful moments and rhinestones; I see no reason that needs to change. To maintain this lifestyle, I need to find a moneymaker. If that means going to college to find a husband, then so be it. Let me in. E.W.

Prompt #2 Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud, and how does it relate to the person you are?

iewing this prompt after a long day of archery, shot-put, and badminton, I wondered how I could possibly choose just one admirable aspect of myself, how I could select just one measly slice of my life experience pie for my readers’ consumption. In pondering this, I could not help but marvel at all that I have seen with my bespectacled eyes in under two decades of life, which is even less than the amount of time our family heirloom cat has been around to bite houseguests. I reflected upon all the unique lessons I have learned throughout a life jampacked-jelly-tight with happenings and found myself questioning, “What does it all really mean?” An online personality test I took told me once that I’m an “extroverted go-getter.” At that moment, my eye

began to twitch with excitement as I struggled to fathom how an unscientific test could pinpoint me so specifically and so personally. A seed was planted in my brain as I realized that I could truly make a difference in this world with my doer attitude and that, simultaneously, in an explosion of fulfillment, my dreams would come true, as my one greatest aspiration is to make a difference in this world. It’s a mouthful, sure, but I’m just being honest. So be it if making a difference means completing the tedious organization of canned goods at a food bank or shoveling rabbit poop at a sad excuse for a neighborhood park that consists of just one of those weird plastic-animal-onan-enlarged-spring toys. The only point at which I would draw a line would be the building of a house, because that

is simply too cliché for my taste. I mean to say that I have realized the value of hard work and perseverance while playing a multitude of challenging and well-respected sports. My mom once told me that these lessons are useful both on and off the field of archery targets, in and out of the shot-put ring, and over and under the badminton net. As grandma says, I can climb any metaphorical mountain of difficulty with ease and grace! All in all, I am no stranger to triumphing over adversity. Truth be told, this prompt has opened my eyes to a whole new world. Never before have I been forced to look upon myself from an outsider’s perspective, and I am grateful the UC’s have allowed me this opportunity. Thanks! ;) M.C.

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essays

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wing short

Gro

Tired of getting the short end of the stick, Megan Bradley knows its not about altitude, it’s attitude.

“H

i! Welcome to [enter restaurant name here]. Table for two?” exclaims the superficial hostess. “Mm-hmm,” I say. “And a kids menu?” she asks. “NO! For the thousandth time, I would NOT like a kids menu!” I scream. Well, maybe it didn’t necessarily happen like that, but that’s exactly what I was thinking as she led us through the noisy restaurant to our table. I suppose I can’t blame people who see me and assume I’m a 10-year-old. After all, topping off at an impressive five foot and three-fourths of an inch isn’t exactly average for a high school junior. That’s right, a junior. There have been so many times in my life that I’ve been looked down upon by people just a few inches taller than me who seem to think they’re more intelligent or have some lesson to teach me. My short stature does not make me any less of a person. I’ve learned that it’s easy to say we’re all equal, but it’s amazingly hard for people to put into action. It’s just like when people say, “I’m not a racist,” and then walk by a Mexican speaking Spanish and think, “Why aren’t you speaking English in America?” It’s unconscious hypocrisy, when people say or think one thing and do another even when they don’t have the intention to. I’m not trying to take on this holierthan-thou attitude; I judge too, and anyone who says they do otherwise is sincerely mistaken. But being short really isn’t uncommon. More than a handful of students at our school and elsewhere are confronted with the same prejudice, something I, oh so creatively, like to refer to as heightism. And unfortunately, like all victims of prejudice, it’s something we short people have to face every day. The number of condescending people I’ve encountered in my life is astounding. The number of surprised looks I get when strangers see me walking

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shirit barach

through a store alone is ridiculous. In middle school, I was often mistaken for “visiting” my sister, when I was actually the student. Now, as an upperclassman, I’m

assumed to be a ninth grader. The most insulting age I have been questioned to be in recent months was that of a sixth grader. Talk about depressing. Random strangers think I’m

suffering through that “awkward stage.” But it really doesn’t bother me. My nights are not spent crying from the daily age assumptions I get from people I don’t even know. These judg-

ments actually entertain me because I know my brain doesn’t resemble that of a twelve-yearold. When word got around that I was a licensed driver, I got the same questions from a number of smart-ass students: “How can you even see over the steering wheel? Shouldn’t you be in a car seat?” I get it. You think you’re absolutely hilarious. Sorry to rain on your parade, but you’re not. Nor are you witty. You aren’t the first to ask that, and you won’t be the last. I do get the joke; my height doesn’t prevent me from understanding it, I promise. It’s just a bad one. I’ll laugh with you when you think of a legitimate one and until then I’ll just laugh at you. I can probably make fun of my height better than anyone. Just be more creative with your wisecracks. I’m not looking for a pity party, and I probably wouldn’t get one if I were. That would be asking way too much of people who don’t care enough in the first place. Plus, I know that being gypped height-wise is obviously not nearly as horrible as some other prejudices, like racism. On the upside of being small, at least I don’t have to face the additional prejudices of being a teenager, because I look like a child. And I can fit in small places, which is something I have yet to find useful. I can shop in both the kids and adult section of stores, sort of. Oh, and I get into movies much cheaper than my friends do, which is always nice. Now that I think about it, I’ve probably saved a large sum of money because of my height. In the end, I know judgments will always be made. All I can say is, if you’re going to make assumptions, think about expanding your thoughts beyond oneword descriptions. People are so much more than being short or tall or black or white. The next time you start sizing someone up, consider asking them for the truth.

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A novel quickwrite J.K. Rowling spent five years writing the “Harry Potter” series. James Joyce spent 10 years on “Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.” SDA’s writers have bested both those legendary authors; several students and teachers wrote complete novels in just the 30 days of November as a part of National Novel Writing Month, a competition that challenges contestants to write 50,000 words in a month. By Alex Matthews.

unners have marathons. Politicians have campaign seasons. And writers have NaNoWriMo. National Novel Writing Month takes place during November every year. Throughout the course of the month writers worldwide challenge themselves to write 50,000 words by midnight on Nov. 30. Participants can fulfill this word count with anything they want, from gibberish to biology homework, but most contestants write a legitimate novel: “You’re doing it for yourself,” history teacher Kerry Koda said. Koda was one of several SDA teachers and students who challenged themselves to write a novel in the month of November. With 30 days and 50,000 words ahead of them, the writers needed to keep up with an average 1600 words every day if they didn’t want to be too far behind. Junior Sheta Chatterjee said she spent over an hour every day writing because she was always behind on her schedule. Sophomore Ari Brin said she often spent four hours writing on the

weekends to catch up because she didn’t have as much time to write during the week. Schedules and word counts became even more frustrating when there was nothing to write. Tow said that some days words came like, “ambrosia from my finger tips,” but other days writing was like “pulling single strands of hair from my head.” Writers struggled even more as the month progressed. “Around 30,000 words, you really don’t want to do it anymore,” junior Emily Nybo said. Other writers agreed that in spite of their passion for writing, later in the month they had to force themselves to write. Through all the struggles, every participant found their own personal reward from the experience. Many of the writers agreed that one of the most satisfying parts of the experience was immortalizing the characters and stories that existed in their imaginations on paper. “It’s weird to think that one month ago it was in your brain and now you’re holding it in your hand,” Nybo said.

In junior Emily Nybo’s novel “Fraternizing with the Forefathers,” two high school seniors, Allie and Jeffery, travel back in time by reading a poem they found in a book in a forest. In this excerpt, after wandering around Mt.Vernon, they discover their exact whereabouts: “‘His voice was loud and strong. A deep bass that sent shivers down Allie’s spine. All she could do was shake her head pathetically. Jeffery shook his head as well. ‘Well it is. You two are at Mt. Vernon, and I am George Washington.’ He slicked back the small amount of hair that was visible under his hat and added with a side smile, ‘General George Washington, actually.’ Jeffery’s knees threatened to give way. Allison’s did, and she collapsed into George Washington’s arms. Jeffery looked at the completely surreal scene, as the forefather caught his best friend. George looked up at Jeffery and laughed, ‘She must be more tired than she looked! Hah, I didn’t realize women still went around fainting. I’d have thought we would have progressed by now. It is 1776 for heaven’s sakes.’”

This excerpt from junior Sheta Chatterjee’s novel, “Prithvi,” follows a fight between this novel’s two main characters, Prithvi and Diya, who are best friends. In this scene, Prithvi apologizes to Diya: “‘It’s so weird isn’t it?’ I asked, watching D lift her head and look right at me, ‘that you have so many hopes, trapped inside of you, and you are willing to do anything to fulfill them, but when it comes time you don’t realize what was truly important. You want to be an individual, you want to be free, but when you are finally given that freedom you find that it was not the freedom you really wanted. It was the idea of being free, the idealized vision of becoming someone that you can never be. That was what you wanted. However, in the process of fulfilling these secretive desires, you leave behind the people that care about you most. While trying to be a better person, you miss out on the people who have shaped your genuine character. I did not ever believe that you ruined my life D. I just felt like I had to think that, in order to gain freedom, when it was me who was holding me back. Don’t you get it D? You are the one who has made me into what I am today; you are the one who has made me smile every day of my life. You are the only person who was able to set me free, who was able to see me as Prithvi, your world, instead of Prit-E-Vee, a shallow boy trying to fulfill his innermost desires. I can’t do anything now except beg for your forgiveness. Please take me back D, I’ll do anything for you. I promise that I will never hurt you again. Please forgive me,’ I said, pleading to her with my hands together, and leaning down with my head towards her feet. As I started to prostrate myself on the ground, and I placed my hands on her feet, D grasped my arms, and sat still refusing to let me proceed any further. She let out a burst of air and said: ‘I’m never going to let you beg at my feet. You are everything to me. Tell me Priths, does anybody let God bow down to them?’” NaNoWriMo allowed San Dieguito’s writers to create whole new worlds in the form of literature. Some authors, like Chatterjee, enjoyed the power of creation they held: “[The characters are] yours to mold.” As a member of the yearbook staff, Chatterjee said she enjoyed the freedom that creative writing gave her as a contrast to the strict adherence to facts yearbook writing requires. “I like being creative and messy with stuff,” she said. While Chatterjee was maneuvering her characters like puppets in a NaNoWriMo theater, others, like Koda, said they let their characters drive their storylines. “You have less control in writing than you think,” she said. Tow’s story serves as proof of that statement; he said that what began as a character who worked in a superstore selling televisions developed into a love story and medical drama that somehow incorporated Latin

American terrorist organizations. Tow and Koda collaborated with Leonard and La Costa Canyon teacher Christopher Greenslate; the four teachers had writing parties during which they would race each other, writing for a set amount of time and then comparing word counts. Student and teacher novelists sought inspiration anywhere they could find it. Junior Josh Drilling claimed that at one point his novel became a comparison of “Hawaii Five-O” and “Hill Street Blues.” Nybo incorporated her history class into her story. “Fraternizing with the Forefathers” was about high school students that time-traveled to the early United States. Once they had their stories on paper, many writers planned to share them. However, because NaNoWriMo encourages, as Tow described it “writing with your broccoli,” or writing without inhibition, many of these creations

required editing before they could be released into the world. “I’m obsessed with semicolons,” Tow joked, explaining that, though he hopes to publish his novel someday, he needs to edit it a lot first. Brin said NaNoWriMo’s focus on quantity over quality of writing helped her in generating material to work with in the future; “If you edit, it can be fantastic,” she said. Brin has always wanted to write and hopes to someday have her novel published. While Brin got material out of the experience, Chatterjee said she learned a lot about herself in the process, as did Nybo, who said it helped her realize the determination she possessed. “It’s really an affirming process,” she said. Meanwhile junior Josh Drilling said that he earned: “439 KB of things I want to delete,” “a headache,” and “a weird amount of attention,” from NaNoWriMo.

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e have seen countless trends this year but the majority of them have ended up on the worst dressed list after a short-

comfortable staple item that we just keep growing fonder of. Florian Termin, junior, could not hate flannel

Flannels 53%

best trend

Almost Best Of Leather Jackets 23% Fedoras 16% Pleather Leggings 8%

lived time on top. However, year after year, flannels have defied this trend and have prevailed as one of SDA’s favorites. Flannels are a tradition that have been around since the beginning of time, and this tradition has maintained its popularity and wear-ability over the ages. It is the classic,

more. “Flannel is like regurgitated food. It reminds me of toilet paper from Quilted Northern. It is so unsexy I could just drop dead right now,” he said. On a more neutral note, Sam Ahern, junior stated, “I don’t really have anything against flannels; I just don’t wear them.”

On the other hand, junior Kiva Barry said, “Flannels are way too good to sum up in words.” Senior Sam Stern seconded this notion. “Although originally popularized by lumber jacks it has now spread to all parts of our society. Even though its not cold at all in Southern California we still love our flannel,” he said. “Flannels are warm, fashionable, and go with everything,” freshman Allyssa Baldini said. According to the vote, most SDA students agreed with this sentiment. Look forward to getting your fill of flannels because they don’t seem to be going away anytime soon. M.L and T.C

flannels

illustration by emily ratajkowski

Freshman Steeze Freshmen Oliver Martin and Whitnee Woodruff show off their steeze. By Maddie Lyon and Taylor Chapin Hat: Univ Sun Glasses: Home Scarf: Forever 21

Sweater: mom

Watch: Nixon Shirt: American Vintage Vest: Joseph A. Bank

Belt: Forever 21

Shirt: Robust Flavor Skirt: Forever 21

Pants: Univ Spandex: Forever 21 Shoes: Adidas Boots: Ross

Estimated cost: $302.50 Style: Kanye Steeze Style icons: Weezy, Kanye West, Cory Gabriola

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Estimated cost: $75 Style: Urban Eclectic Style icons: Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen

circus animal fun a

the

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Suckers for sour Warheads: savory treats or silent killers? Your teachers and peers puckered up when they were fed the sour candies. These faces ensued. Please, though, it canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be that bad. Can it? Photos by Eric McCoy.

a. Angie Vasquez, Teacher b. Bridey Hicks, Freshman c. Jeremy Wright, Teacher d. Victor Morales, Freshman e. Bryan Hee, Junior f. Ryan Santore, Sophmore

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Animal crackers gone wild They may be crackers, but these are no animals. Megan Bradley and Danielle Gradisher seek the answers. You may think that animal crackers are just flour, water, and sugar, but they are truly so much more. They make children and adults alike smile with excitement at their different shapes and they arouse questions like, “what animal is this?” But what if they don’t even resemble, dare I say it, animals? After adding a pinch of this and a pinch of that, these crackers are formed into beautiful and sometimes awkward shapes. Then they take their place in a nicely decorated box lined with wax paper. This box will then be purchased and opened by you.

As you take a cookie and bring it to your mouth, you eye it and pause. You think, “This animal cracker is no animal at all!” and you’re right, its not. It’s true, sometimes they are broken or accidentally misshapen, but these special animal crackers are, and always have been and always will, odd. Some do look a bit like animals, if a hippo-jaguar-ostrich is your idea of an animal. In search of the ultimate truth on cracker categorization, we asked the student body what they saw in these crackers. These are their stories:

Kendall Daasnes

The being above is... “Just like a regular tree.” --Valentina Calmo, freshman “A horse.” --Kelley Hansen, sophomore “A lion.” --Christine Jacobson, junior

Some would call this one a... “A walrus.” --Tyler Logent, junior “A fat flamingo.” --Emily Osterman, sophomore “A bird, but its feet are backwards.” --Natasha Hurley, senior

The “buffalo” is... “It’s a polar bear/penguin.” --Kevin Fourment, freshman “It looks like John West…Profe West.” --John Ratajkowski, art teacher “It looks like Australia.” --Madeline Holcomb, freshman

Tales from a barista

Readers, digest!

When you work at Starbuck’s strange things happen all the time. Story by Paige Ely.

Eric McCoy spices up your average holiday with a unique dessert from the Kwanzaa recipe book.

I was ringing my till, when the next customer came up. It was Ken. “I’ll have two Barbies,” he said. “A…grande, soy latte?” I questioned, trying to remember their usual order. “No. A venti. With sprinkles,” he stated a bit annoyed, a bit insulted. I apologized, picking up a venti holiday cup, a festive red background, decorated with white stripes and a random bird of some kind. I marked the L in the Drink box, the S in the Milk box, and as I started to write in the custom box, I asked, “Orange sprinkles right?” putting extra emphasis on orange, showing I remembered at least that much. He nodded, unimpressed, not even caring enough to do a full roll of the eyes. I scribbled “Or. sprinkles,” not knowing the abbreviation of sprinkles and not wanting to ask at the moment. I didn’t want to appear that I knew as little as I did. The order was made by my fellow barista, passed off, and he left with the two large drinks

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Emily Ratajkowski

Kwanzaa is an African holiday celebrating the harvests of Africa. The name “Kwanzaa” comes from the Swahilian phrase “matunda ya kwanza” which means “first fruits.” The colors of Kwanza are red, black, and green and, as with any festivity, eating is a large part of the celebration. The recipe below combines the colors and flavors of Kwanza in one delicious package. Enjoy. Ingredients: • 2 cups dark chocolate chips • 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract • 1 ¼ cup white chocolate chips • 1 tablespoon peppermint extract • 1 drop green food coloring • 1 drop red food coloring

for his wife, Barbie. Frustrated, I promised myself I would remember the order next time. Two weeks later… A man approached the counter, at the end of an unusual rush for the evening. At least at that time, the customers weren’t lined out the door. A bit flustered, I kept the smile, but lost the recognition. “I’ll have a Barbie.” Oh, it was Ken. Of course. White hair, a thick mustache,

Directions: 1. Line an 8 or 9 inch square baking pan with wax paper or and Napoleon Dynamite glasses. parchment paper. “A venti soy latte, with 2. In a double boiler or saucepan, melt the dark chocolate orange sprinkles,” I stated with chips and mix in 1 cup of sweetened condensed milk. Spread this enthusiasm. into the pan and let chill in the refrigerator until firm. “That’s right!” he grinned 3. While it is chilling, melt the white chocolate in a separate very impressed. pan over low heat. Stir in the peppermint extract, and separtate “4.25 is your total.” I exequaly into 2 different bowls. changed his money for a “Thank 4. Mix in the red food coloring in bowl and the green into you and have a wonderful day.” another. I’m not completely sure if 5. Spread the colored white chocolate over the chilled dark their real names are Ken and chocolate in whatever pattern you’d like. Barbie. But I know what to say 6. Put back in the fridge and let chillax for an hour. when they come to the counter. Just a tale from a barista.

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personal best and worst “My sister Chelsea got a dog about two years ago. But she moved, so she had to give it away. It was just because it barked all the time, not anything violent. The contract said she couldn’t have pets. It was really sad. Then they got a cat. A devil cat.” –Sophomore KayLee Watkins “The worst was taking my sis off to college and helping her move into her sorority house. It’s her second year but after being with her for two months, it was hard for her to leave again.” —Senior Lauren Soppe

family

Worst

“I got to go to Hawaii to visit my friend who moved there.”—Junior Jordan Aiken

Worst

“I was walking downstairs at my house when I slipped on something, fell onto the banister, slid down it and hit the column at the end. I had bruises all over my ribcage.” –Senior Erin Gibb “In the same day I forgot my binder TWICE. First I left it at home, then my dad had to bring it during homeroom, so I couldn’t turn in my homework for first period. Later that day, after field hockey, I left it in the locker room, so I couldn’t do my homework that night.” –Sophomore Katey Ford

     

luck

“My friends and I were walking along the 101, when I accidentally stepped on a piece of gum, and when I lifted my shoe up, I discovered that there was a $50 bill folded onto the gum. Instead of my friends and me fighting over whose it was, I decided that we should use it to buy us all dinner.” –Senior Zoe Brittain

Best

“Over the summer in Alaska my friend who runs a yacht invited my family aboard. We stayed on the boat overnight in this remote bay in the middle of the gulf of Alaska. We went fishing and it was the most beautiful sunset and sunrise I have ever seen. We caught 33 salmon and a couple of halibut. ON the way back to the harbor (Seward) we saw a pod of orcas and the driver followed them for a little bit and one swam right by the boar! The water was so clear we could see the orca when it went under.” –Senior Kristi Ellison “I went to Ecuador over the summer, and it was really fun.”—Senior Amanda Reis “I went to Michigan with my family during the summer and went to Moomers, an ice cream shop only in Michigan. USA Today named it the best ice cream in America. I got a Detroit baseball cap with my ice cream inside called a Moomer’s Delight. It was so frickin’good. It tasted really good because it was different and I had never had it.” —Junior Jackson Gresock

summer

Best

“The best thing that happened to me this year was going to Holland. It’s just a super neat culture there. Everyone rides bikes and loves being outdoors. Everything is beautiful and green and you just get this amazing sensation there. Everyone stays out late drinking coffee and walking around the town square.You just feel so simplistically happy there. I loved it.”—Junior Mia Mendola

travel

Best

Depending on who you ask, 2008 was either the best or the worst year of our high school lives.

  

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   

  

 

       

  

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            

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Best of

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2008

I spy a collage of the best of the great That 500 students voted for in 2008 Quantum of Solace, Bond floating in space The teen heartthrob vampire with unshaven face Twice a bandana, glasses nine pair A full tattooed rapper with long dreadlocked hair A biochem major who remixes songs A Sri Lankan singer who doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t belong The smirking Alaskan, the President-Elect The former whose blunders command no respect Four faces of two men from 94.9 A sad naked dreamer who crosses the line I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t spy, however, the two figures of The forgotten winners of Most Underloved The black armored hero in ominous lean His card wielding rival, alive on big screen The rest from below, place with the above In 2008, the section: Best Of.

Stories by Michelle Cancellier, Erin Donaldson, Zach Garcia, Ben Johnson, Deanna Melin, Liz Mills, Nina Moussavi, Eric Peck, Kyle Shohfi, Robin Sickels, McKenna Taylor, Emily Walsh, and Shannon Wright. Collage by Emily Ratajkowski and Shannon Wright.

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the dark knight

t wasn’t even a contest. “The Dark Knight” won Best Comic Book movie before the others were even printed on the ballot. The Batman franchise has been earning its victory since elementary school. In the American childhood, he stood as a

symbol of everything we strove to attain. We were fragile and inept, but Batman was strong and highly skilled. He commanded the vast attention for which we hungered: in the fictional press, in the hero community, but mostly in the admiration

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ropic Thunder” is ultimately the most confusing of 2008 film plots. Put most simply, it is a film about prima donna actors trying to make a film based on a novel about the Vietnam war that claims to be true but isn’t; however, they

diminishing career. The product is pure mind-boggling hilarity. What really makes the movie funny, though, isn’t its confusing storyline; it’s the star-studded cast. It was definitely Robert Downey, Jr.’s performance that blessed the film’s

best comedy

Almost Best Of Get Smart 29% Hamlet 2 13% You Don’t Mess with the Zohan 11%

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greatest fears: serial killers, psychological deviants, cold, ruthless cunning, a thirst for the blood of innocents, and the lust for chaos. He is twisted and bipolar; his clownish mania contrasts so starkly the fires of damnation in his soul. The Joker is not only the best but the most believable character in the movie. Watching the two

The Dark Knight 71% Almost Best Of Iron Man 19% Wanted 6% Hellboy II 4%

people can’t understand the female mind. Such characterization helped Batman ascend beyond comic book fantasy into a new level of realism. He relies on his own strength, technology, and tactical genius over ridiculous supernatural powers. His opponent is crime, not biological terrors such as can be seen on the slightly nuclear Japanese coast. In this atmosphere, shrouded in the tragedy of Heath Ledger’s death, the Joker was given a haunted life. He is an amalgamation of all of civilization’s

rip each other to shreds in Gotham’s limelight made not only the greatest comic book movie of the year, but one of the best movies of all time. The Internet Movie Database rates it the fourth best ever. It looks like we won’t be seeing more of Batman anytime soon though, as Christopher Nolan has yet to sign on for the threequel. This is perhaps for the best, because it would take a near-miracle to see another film so tragic, terrifying, or thrilling in our own lifetimes. B.J.

tropic thunder

Tropic Thunder 47%

soon realize that they aren’t really making a film anymore, they are actually living what they perceived as a scripted hoax, fighting for their lives. All the while, the film—the one that you are actually watching, not the one that they are making—is really Ben Stiller poking fun at his own

someone of such absolute moral stature. The only place he feels at home is behind his mask, but this only tears a rift between him and the love of his life, who lives in the world of his despicable alter ego. The audience finds this relatable—not just that Batman feels a constant inner struggle, but that even the manliest of bat-

best comic book movie

thedarkknight.warnerbros.com WANNA SEE A MAGIC TRICK? Heath Ledger’s Joker was perfect evil.

of all our peers. We desired the power and grace that flowed through Batman like the apple juice that flowed through our sippycup straws. Christopher Nolan took this iconic childhood hero and reformed him to satisfy us in our adulthood. Under Nolan’s hand, the Dark Knight became the ultimate masculine image. He spends his days sporting his ample wealth and vacationing with entire dance teams of Russian demigoddesses. He shows up to his own parties in his own private helicopter, buttressed by sex on legs, essentially one-upping every living thing on the planet. And that’s all just the cover for his superhero persona, the chivalrous, gallivanting badass, incorruptible, upholding Earth’s justice with the physique of Atlas. Yet behind his idealism one finds deep sadness. As long as Bruce Wayne is Batman, he will be more alone than Robert Smith ever could have fathomed. The cost of his power is his own life, which has been replaced by hedonism, debauchery, superficiality, all empty pleasures for

success. The script was actually rewritten so that Downey, Jr. could portray an Australian Academy Award-winner that undergoes pigmentation surgery to play an African American sergeant. Jack Black co-stars as a heroin-addicted comedian famous for his vulgar comedy series “Fatties.”

Stiller plays Tugg Speedman, an action star who, in an attempt to save his career, played a mentally challenged man who can talk to animals. Cameos by Tom Cruise and Matthew McConaughey also induce a few chuckles. There is nothing quite as disturbing as Cruise trying to hip-hop dance to “Low.” This is Stiller’s best work since “Zoolander,” which makes sense. They are similar in that they both follow the lives of middle-aged divas. This appears to be the role he does best. However, Stiller is also multi-talented, having written, directed, and starred in the film. It was the combination of these aspects that led SDA to vote “Tropic Thunder” the Best Comedy of 2008. E.D.

tropicthunder.com KIDS WITH GUNS Ben Stiller and Robert Downey, Jr. play actors fighting for their lives when the movie they are shooting becomes real.

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his year’s winner for Testosterone Trip is no real surprise. A collection of high speed car chases, ass kicking (in elevators, even), explosions, motor oil, and hot girls, “Quantum of Solace” lives up to

quantum of solace One big problem with the film was that it left most viewers asking: what exactly is a “quantum of solace”? The group of evil-doers that Bond is hunting down to avenge his lost love go by the

testosterone trip

Quantum of Solace 49% Almost Best Of Indiana Jones 34% Body of Lies 10% Bangkok Dangerous 7% the Bond movie expectations in most ways. It not only follows the threeMississippi-edit-cut rule, but takes it to a whole new level. There were so many cuts that at points the movie was simply a series of flashing lights, unperceivable as images. It is surprising there were no seizures reported due to this film.

name “Quantum,” and the title is a play on words that is clearly a little above most people’s heads. “Quantum” being the tiniest possible amount of something, the film’s title references the desires of Bond and his ally, Camille, to achieve some level of solace after losing their loved ones. Also, uncommon

the question was asked: “What if mankind had to leave Earth, and somebody forgot to turn the last robot off?” The film tracks the life of a Waste Allocation Load-Lifter, Earth class, built to clean up after consumer trash has made the Earth uninhabitable. The film opens with the breathtaking image of skyscraping piles of neatly

arranged trash stretching for miles, and a lone tiny robot adding to them, one piece at a time. Due to the absence of humans, the first half of the movie has no dialogue, a silence punctuated by occasional sound effects and robot beeps. Only Pixar would be brave enough to produce a children’s film with no dialogue—no fart jokes or

to most Bond movies, “Quantum of Solace” is actually a continuation of the previous film (though having seen “Casino Royale” is not necessary to understanding the plot). There is a consequent debate as to the Bond-merit of the movie, as it breaks several Golden Rules of Bond-hood. The continuity from the previous film is one, but more importantly: Bond cannot fall in love. This slight complication has cast a shadow of doubt, in some minds, as to Daniel Craig’s merit as a true Bond. One thing, however, cannot be denied: heart-broken or not, Craig kicks a lot of bad-guy ass. The soundtrack to the film features “Another Way to Die,” which is to “Quantum of Solace” as “Paper Airplanes” is to “Pineapple Express”,

007.com

Bond World Bond chases after Quantum to get his revenge.

proportionate even in popularity. Written for the movie by Jack White, and performed by Jack White and Alicia Keys, it has received mixed reviews (similar to the film it was created for). Overall, “Quantum of Solace” was everything one would expect out of any self-respecting action movie. A couple of high-

speed chases (by car, by speedboat, and by motorboat), some sex, and a lot of guys who are still going to be feeling Bond’s fists when they wake up in the morning (that is, if they wake up in the morning). Daniel Craig continues to be a controversial, yet relatively accepted and appreciated, Bond. D.M.

wall•e hen the first trailer for “WALL•E” came out, those few seconds of a boxy robot being thrown off its treads by a fire extinguisher filled me with a manic sense of glee and the surety that this would be Pixar’s best ever. The creation of Andrew Stanton, who also directed “Finding Nemo,” “WALL•E” sprang from a Pixar discussion where

pixar.com

Rubik Robot WALL-E investigates the junk left behind by humanity on the wasteland of Earth.

pop culture references. This second half of the movie, with its blunt satire of humans as mentallystunted consumerist pigs, brings dialogue and physical comedy hijinks into the movie, and is a little less subtle and a little more kiddie. However, it gives Pixar a huge opportunity to show off. The endless wasteland

(“Toy Story,” “Ratatouille,” “Finding Nemo,” etc.). WALL•E undergoes no character development at all throughout the whole film. The slightly more adventurous plot of this film gives the writers more room to touch on various themes—not just the very obvious environmental theme, but also various other odd themes you

Wall•E 44%

Almost Best Of Kung Fu Panda 27% Madagascar 2 19% Horton Hears a Who 10% of Earth is bursting with tiny visual details, but the programmers really get to play with the graphics in space, especially with the army of defective robots and the spaceflight with EVE and WALL•E. Interestingly, unlike with their previous movies, Pixar seems to have abandoned the bythe-numbers Disney plot they previously used as a vehicle. There is no plucky hero who learns to believe in himself and the power of friendship

bring a little sibling

wouldn’t expect to find in a little kids movie: the dangers of advertising, technophilia, and the weakness of humans in the face of traditions and learned behavior. The eye candy and story can entertain a little sibling without you drooling with boredom. Pixar has won this category again. Now the only thing to do is wait for their next movie, “Up,” to come out next year and win it again. Z.G.

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warnerbros.com DESTINATION: NOWHERE A lack of plot made this the weirdest film.

combination of a corny ‘60s Japanese TV show called “MachGoGoGo” with the “Matrix”-building Wachowski brothers would inevitably have to be strange. A kiddie-cartoon smear of shining colors streaking across the screen in an incom-

prehensible blur, “Speed Racer” earned its title as the Weirdest Movie. There is not much movie to this movie. An overdone underdog story, with a bit of familial betrayal and some of the most hackneyed dialogue ever spoken—especially

“T

wilight”—the clear winner of the estrogen fest, so much so that girls were going on their periods early. Well, maybe not quite, but it is definitely the new teenage girl obsession. “Twilight was so good!” freshman Lindsey Valenzuela said. “I saw it five times.”

Roger Allam’s unfortunate evil-businessman monologue—it is unclear whether the Wachowskis might have intended the mess of clichés as a send-up (although looking at the increasing plot holes and straining religious symbolism of the later “Matrix” films, it’s doubtful). This movie also contains a small child and a chimpanzee, of about equal intellect, the two most annoying creatures ever spawned, obviously put in just to perform whacky antics for the amusement of the 5-to-11year-old crowd. We can be grateful they at least did not include the famously mocked warp-speed dialogue of the cartoon’s American version.What is clear through all this is the unimportance of this awful plot. Like storyline in a fighting game, it is just an excuse for the visuals. They do not disap-

point. Even before Speed Racer (apparently his real legal name) actually races, the computer-generated Technicolor vision of a futuristic 1950s, the hallucination of Norman Rockwell in the desert on mescaline, is like injecting sugar into your eyeballs. Everything in this world is bright bright impos-

Möbius-strip tracks as they race through Escheron-acid courses—a mountain course, an ocean course, a desert course, a city course, all held together by barely plausible plot devices as an excuse for a new pretty landscape in the background—attacking each other with hooks and chainsaws. Timothy

Speed Racer 41%

weirdest movie

speed racer

Almost Best Of Burn After Reading 39% Choke 13% City of Ember 7% sibly bright. A visit to a racecar factory in the film contains so much intense purple it looks like Prince staged a coup against interior designers. But most of the running time is dedicated to races. Day-Glo cars that don’t seem to obey the same laws of friction as everything else careen across

Leary really is dead, and he’s gone to heaven with this movie. Maybe with a plot, the movie would have been a little less strange. But the film has no goal besides crafting its own lysergic fantasyland, and is one of the oddest movies ever made. Z.G.

twilight age chick-flick based on the fact the main character, Bella, is a 17-year-old girl. And not just any girl. The one who has to move and then feels like she doesn’t belong. Extremely relatable. What girl hasn’t felt out of place before? At this point, the girl watching feels that Bella

best estrogen fest

Twilight 56%

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Almost Best Of 27 Dresses 23% Mama Mia 14% Definitely Maybe 7% After the Twilight books were released, the fad began. While it may be about vampires, that’s not the point. The story is truly a romance. That’s the reason any movie involving the undead was the winner of estrogen fest and not testosterone trip. You can tell it’s a teen-

and she are interchangeable, plus or minus a few small details. Perfect time for the hunky love interest to enter. After believing the initial set-up, a little bit of fantasy is plausible, even desired. If you’re in Bella’s shoes, you want cool things to happen to you. Things you could

twilightthemovie.com ROMAN-IA-TIC Vampires plus a female heroine that girls can relate to equals the best estrogen fest of 2008.

only dream about. And what better dream than to date that hot vampire at school . Forbidden love is the best type. There’s the dash of danger. Then for the touch of reality. Keeping

secrets from your parents because they just won’t understand. Perfect. It screams, “I’m a girl in a relationship, let me date my vampire!” No wonder this is such a big hit. S.M.

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“It’s friggin’ hilarious and Seth Rogen is the best comic ever. And if you put him with James Franco, it’s just magic,” said a sophomore. The only characters in this movie with clear

sonypictures.com

Pineapple Express 66%

Almost Best Of Harold and Kumar: Guantanamo Bay 29% The Wackness 3% Bottle Shock 2% Hollywood producers know that drug movies sell, but also because it has managed to be placed high on the list of favorite comedies and is filled with plenty of unexpected action.

10,000 b.c. 10000bcmovie.com

CAT AND MOUSE Neanderthal D’Leh attempts to avoid the consequences of his unwise attempt to release a sabretooth.

heads are a policewoman and a teenage girl’s parents. Some students who saw “Pineapple Express” said they had witnessed it after themselves indulging. “It’s a drug deal that

three confused mice Seth Rogen has just escaped from a burning underground weed farm.

went wrong,” said a sophomore. While on a hilarious run from a gang of murderous drug lords, the stars in “Pineapple Express” jump into dump-

sters, destroy their cell phones, drive cars through warehouses, dodge bullets in a room full of flaming marijuana plants, and wait to escort their dying friend to the hospital until the

last scene. “Pineapple Express” has gained enough applause from SDA to sit next to Cheech and Chong in the favorite stoner movies category.

mortal peril. The actors, however, coolly deny the absurdities in their last fight with ten-foot-tall chickens, the hunt that ended in “accidentally” killing a two-ton charging mammoth, or that releasing a giant saber-toothed tiger actually turned out not to be a suicidal idea.

of bones, to sacrifice in a volcano. It would have been a believable portrayal of twelve millennia ago, had most of the dialogue not been spoken in unaccented English. “10,000 B.C.” betrayed its own mediocrity some with stunning CGI, the eye candy that sweetened a

biggest disappointment

hollywood highs

ith bizarre criminals, paranoid nights in the middle of the woods, drug buddy humor, and more, “Pineapple Express” is a hit. “Pineapple Express” is a favorite not only because

pineapple express

ollywood churns out a thousand movies every year, any of which could be easily placed in the Worst Movie category, but “10,000 B.C.” tempered its lack of merit with a spark of ridiculous. It took the normal gun-running, government-conspiring, CIAagent-going-rogue-type plot-with-some-transparent-mystery-and-a-liltinglove-interest-on-the-side genre of mass-produced adrenaline thriller, pulped it into an easily digestible paste, and flavored it in the era where no one wore deodorant. The entire cast and production staff went above and beyond to win Worst Movie this year. Perhaps the best Worst Movie quality “10,000 B.C.” claimed was its inability to take itself for anything other than legend. There are points where, if they weren’t main characters, D’Leh and his buddy Tic Tac would have been in stimulating (and category disqualifying)

10,000 B.C. 32% Almost Best Of The Happening 30% Cloverfield 29% Eagle Eye 9%

The masterstroke comes when they shake the heroic “White Spear,” and it wiggles almost imperceptibly. The stereotypical portrayal of the prehistoric was admirably painful. For “many moons” the dreadlocked hero D’Leh and his tribe’s alpha male Tic Tac keep pace with men riding “demons” (horses). These demon riders have taken D’Leh’s woman, along with other slaves captured from their village made

near-perfectly stale movie. They are given consolation points because no one actually eats candy with their eyes. In the end, “10,000 B.C.” was wonderful in its terribleness. Boredom was made interesting, superior in its inferiority. It was some excellent excrement, and it certainly beat out the competition by screwing the pooch in a way PETA would totally condone. B.J.

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h, “The Office.” The British-import Emmy winner won out over other worthy opponents this year, and for good reason. “That’s what she said” jokes, dramatic office romances, and a healthy amount of pranks all

seemed to appreciate Dwight Schrute, the neurotic salesman/cubicle buddy from hell. “I voted for the Office because I think Dwight is hilarious,” said senior Jesse Loya. The most popular aspect of “The Office” is

the office

nbc.com/The_Office

The Office 67%

best tv comedy

Almost Best Of Monk 14% It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia 12% 30 Rock 7% contribute to the fun and entertainment of the show. You’d think pre-teen humor wouldn’t be successful in a nationally televised show, but I believe it resonates with the 13 yearold boys inside each of us, and they must be doing something right: “The Office” has won two Emmys in its five seasons on the air, and SDA’s vote for top comedy show twice. Students especially

the pranks, I think. From the first episode, where Jim puts Dwight’s stapler in Jello, to the episode where Jim and Pam spend the day making up fake diseases like “Count Choculitis” and “Hot Dog Fingers,” to maybe my favorite prank of all, where Jim throws Andy’s phone up above the ceiling and calls it until Andy gets so mad he punches a hole in the wall. There’s also the time

disney.go.com

when Jim moves Dwight’s desk into the bathroom; the time when Jim told Dwight that a Ben Franklin impersonator was the real Ben Franklin, or the famous “messages from the future” Jim sends Dwight on his own sta-

tionary. It’s obvious that SDA students appreciate the clever humor present in “The Office.” It’s a show that makes you want to work in an office, but only Dunder Mifflin’s office. E.P.

cal place for me. It’s like another little world,” said Amanda Killebrew, junior. Another fluff factor that added to this movie was its take on action. Most of it done in CGI, action scenes weren’t the usual blood-and-guts. Instead, “Prince Caspian”

ased on C.S. Lewis’s book series “The Chronicles of Narnia,” “Prince Caspian” continues where the first movie, “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” left off. As cheesy as a field trip back to one’s childhood days, “Prince Caspian” easily

Chronicles of Narnia 46% Almost Best Of What Happens in Vegas 37% Four Christmases 17%

KINGS AND QUEENS “Prince Caspian” follows fluffy fantasy style.

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wins the throne for the Best Fluff Fare category. As in any children’s story, good combats evil with the return of Aslan and the White Witch. The typical wise advisor character Aslan helps Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy conquer evil, the White Witch. These overblown protagonists and antagonists make one want to enter another world filled with such enchanting and mystical creatures. “I chose ‘Prince Caspian’ because Narnia is such a magi-

used different methods of killing people to appeal to a young audience. Towards the end of the movie, water wipes out all of the bad soldiers and they drown to death. “Even though the movie [‘Prince Caspian’] is very suspenseful, it was a fairytale with a happy ending,” said Sheta Chatterjee, junior. Filled with breathtaking scenery, fantastic creatures, and magic around every corner, “Prince Caspian” receives the cottony throne of Fluff. M.T.

fluff fare

prince caspian

THEY DO Dwight K. Schrute helps plan the marriage of his co-workers Angela Martin and Andy Bernard.

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mustang 12.19.08 in the number of their favorite performer and, as a result, feel that they had had an influence over some stranger’s life. What most people don’t realize is that many votes don’t get counted because the lines fill up, and that the producers have a hefty say in everything. It’s not that they would ever cheat;

of their life owned by 19 Management—American Idol’s affiliated management company—than who can send their troops to war. When “American Idol” started in 2002 it was all the rage. First season winner Kelly Clarkson, and her second best, Justin Guarini, got a movie deal

let it die

american idol

American Idol 37%

Almost Best Of Lost 26% Survivor 20% America’s Next Top Model 17% americanidol.com FINALISTS David Archuleta, left, and David Cook, center, stand on stage with host, Ryan Seacrest, right, as they announce the winner of “American Idol” season 7. Their show needs to be killed off, as ordered by SDA.

ill it. This year’s winner for the Let it Die category, “American Idol” has truly fallen far. The only part of this show that ever had any real entertainment value was the auditions, where millions of Americans tune in to watch the brave few who audition—good at singing or (preferably) not—humiliate themselves. Unfortunately, by the time

auditions are over, most viewers have already become emotionally invested in the few decent singers. Then comes the rest of the season in a blur of poor song covers and drawn-out result shows. Also tiring are the constant controversies surrounding the show; enough is enough. The real magic of “American Idol” was in its pioneering viewer par-

t came as no surprise that “Gossip Girl” won in the category of Best Guilty Pleasures. Though very few people admit it, the show is a work of pure genius. These young actors create an atmosphere that is extremely captivat-

ticipation. Now a relatively common practice among reality shows (“America’s Best Dance Crew,” “So You Think You Can Dance,” “Dancing with the Stars,” “America’s Got Talent”), “American Idol” was the first to truly mass-market this phenomenon by taking advantage of the electronic age; for the low cost of one text message, viewers could send

their vote just counts more than everyone else’s. A startling contrast: in two hours “American Idol” can get up to 35 million votes from American citizens, while in an entire 24 hours, only 122 million voted in the 2004 Presidential election. If the presidential polls were only open for two hours, it is unlikely there would have been a whole 35 million votes. America has become a country where more people care who gets to have the next year

out of it. Seven seasons later, ratings are slipping. The show is getting repetitive, and a lot of viewers are finally starting to question the quality of talent. The show really began to go downhill in its fifth season when the winner, Taylor Hicks, was a man with no real musical talent to speak of. His cutesy, soul-harmonica antics won him the prize, but left true musicians everywhere shaking their heads. D.M

gossip girl love, but junior Nina Comforti has decided to open up: “I think ‘Gossip Girl’ is every girl’s secret addiction. It’s like the lives we love to watch, but would hate to live in—except maybe for the glamour, designer clothes, super fun

best guilty pleasure

Gossip Girl 52% Almost Best Of The Hills 26% 90210 14% One Tree Hill 8%

ing. There is an aura of authenticity to the show because it is all filmed in the Big Apple itself, rather than on a Hollywood set. The cast doesn’t consist of all New Yorkers, yet they manage to embrace their Upper East Side and Brooklyn counterparts and have captured the hearts of Americans. It’s not common to find someone who will confess their

cwtv.com/gossipgirl

parties, and limos.” We can all agree that behind closed doors we will admit to having enjoyed watching the character of Chuck Bass evolve from an egotistical, heartless pig into a semidecent and, on occasion, honest heartthrob. Or maybe what captured your attention was watching little Jenny Humphrey lose her innocence and become

HIGH SOCIETY The cast of “Gossip Girl” shows their class as they pose in their finest Upper East Side attire, to SDA’s delight.

an aspiring designer with a very punk rock swagger. And those are only two of the many characters that we have let into our lives. Like all guilty pleasures are intended to do, “Gossip girl” is on our minds at all hours of the day, and certainly has gained a weekly slot on our DVRs. N.M

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odern television needs a serious ass kicking. Best Of’s responsible voters have righteously agreed to meet at midnight by the old Indian burial ground to resurrect the perfect man for the job: Red Foreman, and the rest of Wisconsin’s screwballs. Indeed, “That 70’s Show” Needs to Be Brought Back from the

point to the main character. Eric and Donna have that typical nerdy love-fest, as dynamic and amusing as it is uncomfortable. (Imagine picking a six month anniversary gift that’s not too serious but not too casual, in units of humor.) Its sassy, silly, punny dialogue and comic plotting, often combined

that 70’s show

bring back from the dead

That 70’s Show 52% Almost Best Of Friends 28% Arrested Development 14% Firefly 6% Dead. The rise of “That 70’s Show” proves that there’s nothing teens subconsciously love more than looking at themselves in the mirror, especially if it portrays them in such a believable and goofy light. Eric’s family is strange, just like everyone’s: a tough dad who finds several ways each episode to threaten using his favored punishment, the mother with the trademark laugh. And of course, being a sitcom, there must be the Topanga-nese counter-

eonline.com HIP HIP HOORAY Playboy bunnies Kendra Wilkinson, left, Holly Madison, center, and Bridget Marquardt, right, pose at the mansion.

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he world’s oldest bachelor, the renowned Playboy himself, Hugh Hefner, invites cameras into the Playboy Mansion to film the lives of his three ditzy blonde girlfriends in E!’s reality series, “The Girls Next Door.” SDA seems to be in love with Holly, Bridget, and Kendra awarding the show Best Reality Series. We follow the lives of head girlfriend Holly Madison, who takes on the responsibility of finding new playmates, cutesy cat lover Bridget Marquardt, and tomboy-with-an-extremely-annoying-laugh Kendra Wilkinson as they

that70sshow.com the epitome of retro The gang smiles, hip as always, worshipping the mystique of the lava lamp.

live their day-to-day lives in the mansion. “I freakin’ love that show,” said junior Camryn Carroll. “It’s so fun to

that hopeful girls take their clothes off for. “It’s interesting to see their lives; they are ordinary except for the whole

Girls Next Door 40% Almost Best Of Amazing Race 26% Paris Hilton’s My New BFF Million Dollar Listing 9% watch and see all the crazy things they do and I think Hugh Hefner is a pimp.” We also get a look into the over-the-top parties the mansion throws through the year and the less-than-wholesome photo shoots for the magazine

25%

Playboy thing,” said senior Mariela Dieguez. “It is so funny. It’s a guilty pleasure for sure but it’s addictive and fun to watch. They have pretty exciting lives,” said senior Sonia Chu. R.S.

best reality show

girls next door

with an anticipated but befouled ego boost, is the best glass of water to choke down a morality pill. But “That 70’s Show” served as a parallel universe to our own lives (minus the infamous “circle,” I’m sure), which glorified the way we live as teens. Our own social situations, full of naiveté, drama, anger, and growing pains, were fed back to us, and we loved it. And that’s just fine. Why? Because we’re all alright. We’re all alright. B.J.

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song you’re already sick of

he whiny bitch fest that is Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” is not only the most overplayed song of the year; it is the snobbish anthem of girls driving their fathers’ convertibles with the top down, reveling in the fruits

i kissed a girl a bony middle finger to her “haterz,” which is probably why obnoxious adolescent girls with fancy sweatpants embraced this “I’m better than you” sentiment in its entirety. To those who warned, “Katy, don’t you dare kiss

Katy Perry 52% Almost Best Of M.I.A. 21% Coldplay 16% Pink 11%

of their youth. At least, that’s what I’ve been subjected to every Friday night at every other stoplight. The song was begging to be blasted out the windows of your car, in case anyone else was curious just how “wild and crazy” you and your girls could get. Katy Perry’s condescending proclamation seems nothing more than

that girl! Don’t do it! I’m warning you!” the entire female portion of the world, along with Katy Perry, stuck out their liberal-minded tongues and kissed that equally inebriated girl and, dare I say, liked it? That’s right, she liked it, you eager rumormongers. Unfortunately, most of us are no longer fazed by girls kissing girls, thanks

myspace.com/kanyewest

to Madonna, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and the 2003 Video Music Awards. As the year concludes, several things concerning Katy Perry are

painfully obvious: Overplayed attention whore? Yes. Original? Hardly. But that’s what most people like these days. S.W.

the hit singles “Love Lockdown” and “Heartless.” Perhaps this album won because of the name recognition of West and the fact that a large majority of SDA students have little hip-hop knowledge.

anye West’s newest album, “808s and Heartbreaks,” didn’t break our hearts but forced them to grow. And they grew to love West and his tight beats. The album released

Kanye West 49% Almost Best Of T.I. 27% Usher 14% Nas 10%

the graduate West’s new album shows off a different style.

this year is clearly something different for the artist. From its seemingly feminine album cover (pastel colors and a simple heart) to oddly computermutilated voice tracks and relatively mellow songs, West seems to have temporarily changed his style. Again the mass public has voted for “change.” This album has been at the top of the charts with

The songs are easy to sing along to; if you memorize the few words in the chorus you’ve basically got the whole song down. So there you have it, most computer-mutilated tracks of 2008 and your vote for Best Hip-Hop Album of the year. It is cocky Kanye West with a new age album that seems to be heading into more club beat. E.W.

best rap/hip-hop album

808s and heartbreak

kateperry.com

Narcissism Perry’s self-adulating ode was agonizing: She kissed a girl, and we hated it.

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he sorts who like to poke holes in people’s long-contemplated theories have found a field day in this category. After all, a mere voluntary muscle contraction can turn any song to a higher volume. This is, of course,

iota of their being. When all seven walk onstage with their instruments, it causes a minor fracas. Even their name screams of screaming. Flogging Molly’s sound isn’t so much saturated in Irish as it is pure Irish

flogging molly

best loud album

Flogging Molly 40% Almost Best Of The Mars Volta 31% Black Keys 29%

an intended misunderstanding fabricated by the sarcastic. The winner of Best Loud Album was not the album that could be played the loudest, but the album that should never be played at any volume under 11. “Float,” to its very core, is loud as hell. The Celtic punk septet Flogging Molly is thunderously thunderous in every

filtered through instruments. Their raucous enthusiasm no doubt stems from everything the country’s reputation implies: inebriation, unarmed combat, loss of consciousness, liver damage, reverse digestion, low government regulation of business, anglophobic zealotry, miserable weather, and sheperding, all thrown into the mix

with punk, rock, and acoustic guitars, playful fiddling, mandolin, banjo, accordion, concertina, and perhaps the hardest working drummer in the world, creating an impressively rowdy jig.

To the unfamiliar, “Float” is composed of drinking songs at an often galloping pace; to the common fan, it’s the background to a very blurry evening. But whoever the listener be, he or

“The New Year” and “Tiny Vessels” with a subtle, unique twist. In fact, definite parallels can be drawn between most of the tracks on “Narrow Stairs” and older ones, particularly those off of “Transatlantacism.” Though there is a comfortable return to the pre-“Plans” era, Death Cab’s major label metamorphosis has not left them completely

hough many have probably come to know Death Cab for Cutie by the rich, polished tracks of their major label debut “Plans,” there are those of us who still remember the band’s previous independent albums. Heat-wrenching, poppy, and sometimes a little too happy-go-lucky, but nonetheless distinctly “Death Cab,” their previous efforts greatly contrast their

Death Cab for Cutie 54% Almost Best Of Snow Patrol 27% Nada Surf 19%

deathcabforcutie.com Taciturn Taxis Ben Gibbard and company won over SDA with the meek melancholy of their newest album.

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platinum-seller. Thus, old fans rejoiced and new fans were pleasantly surprised when the band’s second major label album “Narrow Stairs” revisited the relaxed, introspective sound of their older works. Consistent with their previous opening tracks, “Bixby Canyon Bridge” begins almost in silence with the main focus on Ben Gibbard’s vocals. However, it slowly progresses into a louder, harsher sound as the guitar and vocals become increasingly processed and distorted. This results in an odd hybrid of

unchanged. They remain slightly more polished and sophisticated, which could also be because the musicians themselves have matured. Their popular single “I Will Possess Your Heart” is a perfect example of this. The strange absence of Gibbard’s vocals exposes just how talented producer/guitarist Chris Walla and the rest of the band are. “Narrow Stairs” brilliantly unites Death Cab’s natural romanticism with their newfound wisdom. The product: the Best Quiet Album of 2008. E.D.

she should keep a supply of corks handy, because when Flogging Molly hits the speakers, there are few barriers to keep one from having his or her eardrums blown out willingly. B.J.

best quiet album

death cab for cutie

floggingmolly.com Corks at the Ready Irish septet Flogging Molly hails from Los Angeles, but sound as Irish as Bailey’s.

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dig out your soul

here is still some worthy album art produced for our era where everything is stolen and even CD covers are obsolete. Music doomsayers have been bemoaning the loss of the art for years, as the big canvas of albums was pushed out in favor of CDs, and then essentially lost in the face of digital downloads.

sion of bizarre apocalyptic imagery, with marching lines of what appear to be priests next to an endless field of cemetery crosses and a Madonna-and-child tchotchke adjoined to a staring eyeball, all under a huge sky-sea dominated by a mushroom-cloud drum in the hands of God. Everything is jumbled together for disturbing

Oasis 46%

best album art

Almost Best Of Beck 28% Of Montreal 22% Oneida 4% The collage-explosion decorating Oasis’s new release “Dig Out Your Soul” is proof that these whiners are not totally correct. The cover is the creation of Julian House, graphic designer and owner of musique-concrete label Ghost Box. He’s created multiple other album covers in a similar collage style, including Broadcast’s “Pendulum” and Stereolab’s Radio 1 Sessions release. The cover is a colli-

kills.tv

VV AND HOTEL Mosshart and Hince of the Kills get no love.

n anonymous student explained their choices in the music section of the survey as following: “I have no idea what any of the albums are, so I picked the ones with the coolest name [sic].” I am inclined to see

this as the reason the intensely-entitled but unjustly ignored “Midnight Boom” of the Kills defeated an indie-folk duo, two burned-out 70s stars, and an aging rock nerd—all with less impressive sobriquets—for the

title of Underloved Album (although in a weird sense, that would make Byrne and Eno’s album the most underloved, as no one even voted for it being underloved). “Midnight Boom” is a powerful synthesis of the Kills’ previous work. If their debut, “Keep On Your Mean Side,” was the duo copping from their idols, and “No Wow” was their innovative breakthrough, “Midnight Boom” is a look back. In it you can hear the sass-punk of Discount (singer Alison Mosshart’s first band) and the offkilter electronic sounds of their earliest single, “Restaurant Blouse.”

oasisinet.com

GOD’S NUCLEAR APPLE Julian House’s collage album design is as nonsensical as Oasis’s lyrics.

The Kills continue to be the Best Band in The World That No One Cares About. “Midnight Boom” is experimental, impassioned, stark, and mean. It flips the bird to the smug hipster irony crippling

Listen to this band. If you want to hear music that is trying to break the stifling worship of some trendily retro older era, if you want to see an end to the nauseatingly self-concious bored irony that is

The Kills 61% Almost Best Of She & Him 18% Jicks 12% Byrne and Eno 9%

modern music. Yet this newest release has only gained any press because guitarist Jamie Hince’s relationship with Pete Doherty’s sloppy seconds has made him British tabloid fodder.

the hallmark of this era of pop culture, listen to this band. If any person does, I won’t even mind if it’s because of a tabloid story or a cool album name. Z.G.

best underloved album

midnight boom

effect, without any real rhyme or reason. If you’re the kind of person who looks for such things, you can see a tinge of “Revolver” in the cover, unsurprising for a band of notorious Beatlephiles. More importantly, the cover captures what Noel Gallagher described as the album’s theme: “There’s a religious armageddon theory going on… can you dig it?” Z.G.

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return by a dead artist

e live in heady times. Aerial porcines and niveous precipitation in the infernal realms must have appeared, because Axl Rose has delivered “Chinese Democracy” upon the unsuspecting world. Despite the jokes about its perennial lateness, the album is here, while

chinese democracy and money. Seventeen years, 13 different studios, $13 million, and guitarists in a number that only theoretical mathematicians debating infinity can understand, all to give satisfaction to the insane artistic drives of one man. And “Chinese Democracy” really is about one

Guns n’ Roses 44% Almost Best Of AC/DC 27% R.E.M. 20% Pretenders 9%

the real Chinese still live underneath the yoke of dictatorial rule. Much like Brian Wilson’s “SMiLE,” the other better-40-years-late-thannever, great white whale of rock history, the endless gestation of “Chinese Democracy” is the story of rock star hubris and obsessiveness allowed to run rampant due to reputation

man. Despite the myriads of other musicians (including one wearing a KFC bucket for a hat) that have come and gone through the ranks of Guns n’ Roses, this album is Axl’s love letter to himself, a musical fortress from whence he can viciously criticize the enemies he sees through his paranoia. On the closer, “Prostitute,”

he condemns everyone who ever dared suggest he should have finished the album on a reasonable schedule. The album took such a long time to complete that Dr. Pepper offered a challenge, saying it would give everyone in America a free Dr. Pepper if Rose finished the album by the end of 2008, leading Rose to thank the company for their support. When it was finally released to everyone’s shock, Dr. Pepper actually did try to have a one-day free soda offer, but timing and internet problems caused the giveaway to work poorly. Rose is now suing Dr. Pepper, claiming their stunt “ruined” the release day. Unsurprisingly after all that time and money, the album is terrible. It is overly long, drags in the middle, and has far too many moments where Rose apes genres (most prominently industrial

gunsnroses.com

Zombie Music Rose has come back from the dead after 17 years to release the train wreck that is “Chinese Democracy.” gunsnroses.com

music) rather than comfortably inhabiting them. The song “Madagascar,” especially, is an object of heavy criticism for stuffing itself with sound clips of Martin Luther King, Jr. There are some moments of potential in the album, unique arrangements where genres and guitars all fall into place, but most of the joy of the album comes from the sick entertainment of watching

Icarus burn and fall for thinking he could touch the sun. The train wreck of egomania amuses us; the actual songs pain our ears. For achieving both of these at once, “Chinese Democracy” was simultaneously the best and worst album from a long-dead artist. Now the only fun left is to watch Axl and Dr. Pepper go to war. Z.G.

oracular spectacular W

hile 94.9 doesn’t know when to lay off playing certain songs 18 times a day and sometimes twice in an hour, at least they chose well with MGMT’s contained psychedelic mayhem that is “Oracular Spectacular.” What sounds like two lanky adolescents on acid running around in a broken sandbox having

xylophones and broken synthesizers in tow. Most people are familiar with “Time to Pretend,” an eight-year-old’s crude life plan to become a rock star, and “Electric Feel,” a curious twelve-year-old’s attempt to express love while wearing platform shoes. Perhaps MGMT’s appeal lies within their abil-

MGMT 47%

Almost Best Of Vampire Weekend 22% Beck 20% The Raconteurs 11% epiphanies while disassembling the plastic toys of their childhood is actually the musical stylings of Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden. This album allowed the public to witness bits and pieces of MGMT’s magical journey in which they traveled back in time to their puerile beginnings, toy lysergic laze MGMT’s fantasy trips won Best Of 2008.

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ity to embrace awkward transitions without being aware of it. Your guard is down along with your fly as you were so excited to run back to a pretend world drawn by dull crayons that you neglected to zip up your pants. But then again, you don’t even care. S.W.

best 94.9 album

myspace.com/mgmt

best of

the

mustang 12.19.08

flight of the conchords

emaine. Present. Bret. Present. And Murray… present. If you are familiar with Flight of the Conchords, you know that before every band meeting, their band manager takes role for the two members of the band, and himself. Fans throughout SDA sup-

ranging from the pressure of the inner city to poking fun at Lord of the Rings. “What makes it great is that it is completely random,” said history teacher Bob Teisher. “Who creates a show where the ghost of David Bowie comes to give you advice on your band?

Flight of the Conchords 42% Almost Best Of Of Montreal 35% Wolf Parade 14% The Black Angels 9%

hbo.com

Flight of the Conchords The New Zealand duo prompts laughs with their digital folk.

best electronic album

ith the ability to pull song clips from artists as disparate as Roy Orbison and Lil Wayne and throw them together in a way that comes out sounding like the ultimate party mix, mash-up DJ Girl Talk (real name Gregg Gillis)

It’s just awesome.” Classified as digitalcomedy folk, their music is off-the-wall and acts as a reflection of Bret and Jemaine’s humor. “I like the songs,” said senior Kristi Ellison, “they’re creative and funky and not generic; you don’t see a whole lot of stuff like this.” R.S. & L.M.

girl talk as 26 sampled songs per track, Girl Talk’s fun mélange of musical genres and artists inspires listeners to break out the dance moves to the songs they thought they hated. For instance, in the track entitled “Give Me a

Girl Talk 37%

Almost Best Of Santogold 26% Does It Offend You,Yeah? 20% Portishead 17% quickly gained popularity after “Secret Diary,” his first release in 2002. With the intention of allowing his fans to obtain his music more easily, Gillis released “Feed the Animals,” his newest album, using a “pay-whatyou-like” system, Radiohead-style Employing as many

ported the duo, awarding them Best Unusual Album for their debut “Flight of the Conchords.” HBO’s show about two kiwis, struggling to get their folk band off the ground in New York City, became a success in the summer of last year. Their hit songs from the series are Grammyworthy, covering subjects

best unusal album

Beat,” Britney Spears’ overly-synthesized “Gimme More” voice sample is actually tolerable, if only because the intro from Air’s “Sexy Boy” plays simultaneously. “While ‘Feed the Animals’ is less edgy than [previous Girl Talk album] ‘Night Ripper,’ it is more listenable,” said senior

Sam Stern. Coming from the seemingly unrelated field of biomedical engineering, Gillis has a concert-meetshouse-party performance style in which audiences are frequently invited to surround him onstage as he focuses intently on his laptop, clicking feverishly to create unique combinations of the songs his fans know and love (or love to hate). And while it would seem that one of the hundreds of artists he has sampled might have an issue with his usage of their songs without permission, Gillis has yet to be threatened with a lawsuit. It is Gillis’s knack for creating new music from the old that makes his infectious “Feed the Animals” the best electronic album of 2008. M.C.

myspace.com/girltalk

MIX IT UP Girl Talk wins in Best Electronic Album with his mixes of songs we love and hate from past and present.

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best of

the

mustang 12.19.08

biggest political blunder

arah Palin’s first disastrous interview with ABC’s Charles Gibson put doubt in many Americans’ hearts. It revealed much about what kind of potential president she would become, a very real possibility that was always one heartbeat away. She claimed she would

foreign policy would be an aggressive one. As demonstrated by her acceptance of John McCain’s invitation to be on the presidential ticket, she wouldn’t wait to make decisions. It was also implied that she wouldn’t think about her decisions much, either. More dangerous than her

“I can see Russia!” 70% Almost Best Of Clinton’s “snipers” in Bosnia 13% Obama’s “guns and religion” 10% McCain’s seven houses 7% be ready to admit Georgia into the UN, and if it came to it, go to war with Russia without hesitation. She said that America had every right to invade Pakistan in its search for terrorists, and that she would not “second guess” an Israeli attack against Iran. No doubt, Palin’s

tenacity, however, would be her ignorance. Gibson: “What insight into Russian actions— particularly in the last couple of weeks—does the proximity of the state give you?” Palin: “They’re our next door neighbors, and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska.”

What? screamed the sensible American. Really? Palin had never previously met with a foreign dignitary, had only ever traveled to four foreign countries (two if you don’t count Canada and Mexico), but somehow she justifies a potential armed conflict with the largest country in the world because she can get a vague outline of Big Diomede on a clear day? “There,” she would point, a crazed look in her Tina Fey glasses. “Shoot the missiles over there, then we’ll get ‘em.” This, combined with all the rest of her mistakes in the interview—potentially condoning WWIII, not knowing about the Bush doctrine, giving matters little thought because she is “committed”—highlighted the SaturdayNight-Live-quality comedy in her lack of knowledge. B.J.

sarah palin

gov.state.ak.us

You Betcha! Alaska’s proximity to Russia made Palin qualified to be next in line to be the USA’s Commander-in-Chief.

prop 8

his year there were so many disappointments that the economic crash and the death of Paul Newman didn’t even make it on the ballot. Out of four selected terrible happenings, the passage of Prop 8 took the cake of

Before the vote students began to take their opinions to the public. Some joined demonstrations on street corners voicing their views through signs. Other students spent their afterschool hours at phone

Passage of Proposition 8 50% Almost Best Of Death of Heath Ledger 27% Chinese Gymnastic Team 18% Defeat of Ron Paul 5% noonprop8.com

Equal Rights Students opposed the loss of equal rights of marriage for homosexual couples.

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mass disappointment at SDA. Proposition 8 meant that California’s constitution is now amended to define marriage as between a man and a woman, therefore making it illegal for homosexual couples to wed. Junior Greg Kincaid said, “Everybody should be able to do what they want and others shouldn’t be able to make the decisions on what is right and what is wrong.”

banks calling California residents in hopes of getting them to oppose the proposition. Even “No On 8” shirts were worn around campus. Nov. 4 rolled around, Election Day. As the votes were tallied the disappointment ensued and Proposition 8 was passed. “It proves that our country isn’t all about equality as it claims to be,” said senior Sharon Ghai. E.W.

disappointment ‘08

best of

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mustang 12.19.08

e did it, Nation. I mean, SDA. You, the heroes, voted Dr. Stephen Tyrone Colbert, D.F.A., and his program the Colbert Report, to the highly esteemed status of Best Alternative News Source. It’s simple to see why the Report won this cherished honor. With its all-truthiness, no-factiness approach, the Report is

the colbert report doesn’t like wind up on his On Notice or Dead To Me lists. Tragically, California’s 50th District—that’s us—is on the Dead To Me list due to the shenanigans of Mr. Duke Cunningham, our former Representative in the House. In addition to the news stories and the interviews with everyone from politicians to celebrities, it also

colbernation.com

best alternative news

The Colbert Report 36% Almost Best Of Saturday Night Live 34% The Daily Show 15% The Onion 15% able to efficiently communicate whatever Colbert wants his audience to believe. He doesn’t waste time or effort pretending to offer facts to his viewers while secretly inserting his own biases. No, sir, he does not. Instead, he delivers his own opinions and ideas unscathed by the menacing claw of reality. The news stories on the Report are generally real, though you’ll find more “spirited” opinions and rants than you will facts. Things that Colbert

features other entertaining segments, such as the cartoon “A Tek Jansen Adventure,” portraying Stephen Colbert in superhero form. “The Colbert Report offers to everyone what O’Reilly offers to the right-wing nut jobs watching Fox News: a pure form of ranting and raving that cannot be bothered by the nuisance of facts... The show has entertainment value no matter where you stand politically,” said junior Logan Gallagher. K.S.

fallout 3

“F

allout 3,” is so much more than a postapocalyptic survival game that slaps the world on the hand for creating weapons of mass destruction. The only thing preventing you from killing that helpful

holocaust that separates “Fallout 3” from most video games. The most significant aspect of this game is surely the control granted to the player. The character’s personality is governed and developed by

Fallout 3 30%

Almost Best Of Gears of War 2 29% Spore 28% Wrath of the Lich King 13%

NUKULAR WAR Bethesda Studios’ “Fallout 3” gives players control of a survivor in a post-apocalyptic world.

shopkeeper is morals, and if you don’t have any, you can gun her down and rob her silly if you’re willing to run from the enraged townspeople who heard her surprised shriek. Your complete immersion in the world of Vaults, Wasteland raiders, religious cults, and mutated rodents is inevitable. Yet, perhaps it is not the grisly and realistic portrayal of nuclear

best video game

bethsoft.com

THUMBS UP Stephen Colbert exhibits his flawless hair and dreamy eyebrows to his adoring audience.

you and only you, which allows your dream of being a snide minority to finally come true. Whether you’re an amoral, obsequious liar with a hidden agenda or a dreadlocked Mongolian who optimistically pushes the boundaries of the human spirit, one thing is certain: “Fallout 3” is a masterpiece of modern gaming. S.W.

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sports

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Heading for success

With new faces and high expectations, boys soccer works to improve their defense and win the Academy Cup. nicole fisher

fter going undefeated last year, the boys soccer team ended with a disqualification in CIF due to academic ineligibility. This year they have started undefeated as well. The team’s Dec. 2 scrimmage against St. Augustine’s resulted in a 3-1 win, and the first official game of the season against Santana was a tie with a score of 1-1.

kendall daasnes

SLIDE TO THE LEFT Seniors Andrew Weinfield and Erik Ray attempt to steal the ball at their game against Santana. The boys lost this game 1-0, but their next game against Grossmont was a 0-0 tie.

The Varsity team had 12 spots to fill at tryouts. Nine of the team’s starters graduated leas year. “There were plenty of opportunities for newcomers to step up and be seen,” said Varsity coach Craig Dean. There are 13 new varsity players but 12 of them came up from Junior Varsity said Dean. The team’s players are pretty accustomed to each other. “A lot of the guys know each other from outside of soccer so it makes it a bit easier. However, some of the newer guys are still getting used to my style and expectations, which may take some time,” said Dean. According to Dean, Santa Fe

Christian will probably be the team’s toughest opponent in the league, Coastal North. The boys want to beat Canyon Crest for the “Academy Cup.” “There is a big tournament cup with the winners name from each year on it. So far we’ve won twice and are going for our third next week,” said Dean. The cup is on display in the Athletic Office. The team’s goals: make CIF playoffs and improve defense. Dean wants to win league and do well in the CIF playoffs. The other goal requires more teamwork. “Our defense from last year had played together for a few years and was a solid unit. [I want to] build a strong defense that can try to fill the shows of the three defenders that graduated last year,” said Dean. “It will probably take some time but I’m hopeful that we can have an organized, solid defense,” he added. Two players Dean said to watch are seniors and captains, Andrew Weinfield, sweeper, and Juan Huizar, forward.

Girls soccer kicks it into high gear Girls team focuses on using collaboration to work towards their goal of winning the North Coastal League title. nicole fisher

he start of the Baron’s Tournament was not successful for the girls soccer team with a 6-2 lost against Claremont on Dec. 6 On Dec. 9 against El Camino, the team had their first win 2-1. The last game in the tournament was a tie 1-1 against Serra. The girls won’t be continuing further. The team has played two regular games as well. The first game against Canyon Crest on Dec. 4 resulted in a loss 3-2. The team shut out San Marcos though, with a 4-0 win. The goal for the team is to win the Coastal North League. In order to prepare for this the girls in practice do activities like

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“warm up, fitness, and progressive training,” according to varsity coach Evan Camperell. “We have a lot of potential. It’s just about working together and [creating] a stronger defense,” said team captain junior Sandra Morales. The team lost five “really strong” seniors according to Morales. Seventy-four girls showed up for tryouts. “The team was just formed and is now getting to know each other,” said varsity coach Evan Camperell about the team’s chemistry. Morales said another way the team plans to get to know each other is through the annual sleepover, team lunches and possibly dinners before games. “I’d say that [the team chemis-

dimitri fautsch

CUT OFF Junior Nicolle Manzanares defends her goal at the game against San Marcos. The game was a shut out.

try] is pretty good. I think it will get better when we get to know each other,” said Morales. The toughest game on the

team’s schedule is Santa Fe Christian on Feb. 4. “We are going to have to step up the intensity and practice

before the game,” said Morales. “They might be the team to beat us. They are the strongest in the league,” she said.

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the

mustang 12.19.08

Shooting for a conference title Varsity girls team starts off their season with two wins at Coronado and welcomes new faces onto the team. sean znachko

he girls left their Coronado tournament with two wins on Nov. 28 and 29. Varsity Coach Jim Segovia had a good turnout for tryouts. “We had over 33 girls try out and kept two teams of 13 Varsity and 15 JV,” he said. Winning league won’t be a walk in the park. The team may face its toughest opposition when playing Santa Fe Christian on Jan. 23 and Nov. 13, and Calvin Christian on Feb. 3 and Feb. 20. SDA usually faces these teams when playing for the league title. “Our goal is to win league and go to the CIF playoffs, and if we mesh we can achieve these goals,” Segovia said.

Despite losing Kristina Wavomba, a key player from last year, the players have faith that they can have a successful season. “We are a super strong and balanced team this year and hopefully we can accomplish better then last year,” said sophomore Catherine Oswald. For the JV team, La Jolla Country Day and Santa Fe Christian should be their toughest games to win. Meet the team: role models and newbies. The Varsity team has four new players on its roster this year, three of whom are freshman. The team has nine returning players this season who are being great mentors to the new players, says Segovia. “It seems like we all get along really well

and we all help each other out with everything,” said freshman Harper Crickmore. “Our team chemistry is very good, the girls are close and accept the four new players in as teammates. We have a lot of fun while we work hard, but basketball is a tough, emotional, demanding game and we all have to support and back up each other through the season,” said Segovia. “The girls are friends on and off the court, which makesfor great chemistry,” JV coach Kelcie King-York said about the chemistry of the JV team. King-York wants the team to win, but she also stresses the importance of gaining experience. “We are a veteran team with experience but to be successful everyone has to step up; it’s a team game,” Segovia said.

sean znachko LAY UP Christine Jacobson and Catherine Oswald prepare for their game on Dec. 12.

Boys hope to rebound from unsteady start Boys basketball program sees two new changes with a freshman team and a new varsity coach. sean znachko

fter starting the season with 6 tournament losses, the boys team won their first game against Tri City Christian on Dec. 12. The program is seeing some changes this season, including a new coach, Luke Stuckey. “The whole basketball program will be different this year. We are running a whole new system, and really trying to develop a basketball culture at SDA,” said Stuckey, “We established a freshman program for the first time, which will really help develop players.”

liz mills

DRIBBLE, SHOOT, SCORE The Varsity basketball team gets ready for their game at the Varsity Raven Tip-Off tournament at Canyon Crest Academy.

The team’s to-do list: spot in playoffs, conference title. Stuckey would like to see the team make Division III playoffs and try for a conference title. “The main thing is to develop an identity as a team,” Stuckey stated. In order to improve their team record, they will face some tough opponents. The season begins with the team playing two of their toughest competitors, University City and Canyon Crest. San Marcos High School

and the Army Navy Academy should also put up a good fight, according to coach Stuckey. JV Coach Ted Peña would like to see the team beat than their 7-1 record last year. Army Navy should be their toughest opponent, according to Peña. Try-outs went well for both JV and Varsity. Coach Stuckey had positive things to say about tryouts. “The players pushed themselves and competed hard to earn a spot,” said Stuckey. They worked hard on dribbling, passing, and rebounding, he said. The JV basketball team has a lot of new faces this year. With only five returning players, JV Coach Ted Peña’s main goal for the first few practices is to get the boys to work on playing together as a team. Peña hopes the lessons that the boys learn on the JV team will earn them a spot on Varsity in the coming years. “Everything we do mirrors what Coach Stuckey is implementing at the varsity level, so if any of our players get called up during the season, they will be as ready as they can be,” said Peña.

Team works daily to improve team chemistry. While the Varsity team has some inexperienced players on the team, they will make up for this through their height. According to Stuckey, five of the varsity players are over 6’3”. “The team’s chemistry is improving daily. As the guys get to know each other better they are getting [more] comfortable,” Stuckey said. The JV team consists of two freshman, 11 sophomores, and one junior. “Our biggest challenge will be getting everyone to the same level of knowledge so that whatever five players are in, they will be familiar with each other’s skill level and they will have the ability to execute our team offense and defense,” said Peña. Despite the small setbacks the team may face from an experience standpoint, Peña is confident in the team’s positive thinking. “From an overall team perspective, our biggest strength to help us succeed this year could be the terrific attitude these young men bring to practice and the game every day,” said Peña.

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Calm before the storm The wrestling team hopes to make a statement in their league and improve as individuals and as a team. eric peck

very day after school, grunts and chants of “Down!” “1!” “Down!” “2!” fill the gym. To the untrained ear, these sounds may be something strange or scary, but it’s just the wrestling team doing push-ups. They’ve officially started their season, and under the leadership of Coach Eric Wilson, they plan to improve as a team and as individual wrestlers. The wrestling program had a “surprising amount” of athletes show up to try-out, according to Coach Wilson. It’s a team with relatively less experience: “The team consists of a couple athletes with experience, but most are first year wrestlers,” said Wilson. Keep your friends close: camaraderie a strong point The team does not have any serious rivalries yet, since Wilson is

new to Division IV, which is the division SDA’s wrestling program falls under. A strength on the team is the closeness of the athletes this year. “They are a good group who work hard together, and I expect to see some amazing achievements reached this season,” said Wilson. Wilson pointed out that while wrestlers compete in matches one at a time, it is really a team sport, since “one athlete can not improve without another person to practice with.” Senior Alex Williams, a firstyear wrestler on SDA’s squad, joined the team to stay busy and in shape. He has experience with the Brazilian martial art Jiujitsu, where fighters focus mainly on grappling and ground moves. “It actually doesn’t help too much with wrestling,” said Williams. “Jiu-jitsu focuses a lot on wrestling on your back, which is a no-no in wrestling. But wrestling does help more with

jiu-jitsu, since it gives you a lot of extra strength and balance.” Blood and sweat: rigorous practice schedule A particularly strenuous part of the wrestling regimen is the practice schedule, which Wilson described: “Practice is tough. We pick up the tempo every week planning out a time to reach a peak in conditioning. We usually start with a variation of a mile run, jog, or sprint and then break off into various exercises. We drill hard for a couple hours of non-stop training and finish off with more conditioning.” Williams’ first response when asked about practice was “sweaty.” Williams also said that practice doesn’t get too tense. Wilson is confident in his wrestlers and their abilities. “I am proud of what my wrestlers are doing and how far they have come in a short time,” said Wilson.

eric peck

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL Two wrestlers spar during a typical practice. The rest of the team ran laps around the wrestling room.

Fall wrap up: season in review kendall daasnes

ON THE MOVE Senior Liz Siemon wards off a Cathedral defender as senior Deanna Melin comes in for backup. SDA triumphed over the Dons 1-0.

All-League Team Members

Second Team

Seniors Liz Siemion, Lauren Livingston, Maggie Barry, Amanda Graeser, and Sam Sprau

Honorable Mention

Many SDA field hockey players qualified for all-league teams. First Team

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Seniors Emily Mecke, Erika Union, and sophomore Katie Ford

Senior Deanna Melin and sophomores Jessica Bloom, Ashley Munoz, and Kailie Pasko

Field Hockey he field hockey team ended the season with an impressive 20-5 record. In the CIF playoffs, the team made it to the second round, but ended up losing against Serra High School with an ending score of 0-2. Many players set records for the CIF Field Hockey Record book. Senior Sam Sprau now has the most shutouts, 17, in a season. Sprau only allowed 17 goals in all 25 games. Senior Liz Siemion set two records this year with the most assists in a season, 20, and the most assists in a game, 4. According to Coach Brooke Wilson, the team had a total of 17 shutouts. The team scored 95 goals in total. Since three seniors graduated in the spring, the defense was made up of younger players this year. The defense was made up of mostly sophomores, and played a large role in the team’s success. With 8 seniors graduating, “The juniors and sophomores have big shoes to fill but are capable of it,” said Wilson. -nicole fisher

Girls Tennis The girls Varsity tennis team ended the season with 4-11 record. The JV team ended the season with 2-9-2. Both teams have memorable matches to take away with them. Varsity won a victory over Santa Fe Christian, and the JV team won against the Bishop’s School. -sean znachko Cross Country Both the boys and girls teams came in first in the Nov. 14 race for the Coastal North league title. This was the 6th year in a row that the boys placed first and the second time in a row for the girls. Before this race the girls cross country team had not won a league banner since the 1970’s. At CIF on Nov. 22, the boys placed 11th and girls the placed 12th out of 20 teams. Overall, it was a strong season for SDA’s cross country team. A notable highlight was the boys success at the Oct. 24 Jaguar Invitational. The boys came in first place, defeating 19 other schools. -deanna melin

Girls Golf The girls golf team did not make the CIF playoffs this year. While the team struggled to have enough players for their matches, they were able to have a close match against Francis Parker. “We had a full team and the girls put forth a great effort against a tough team,” said Coach James Hrzina. The team reached their goal of improvement this season, “Everyone stepped up at one point or another throughout the season,” said Hrzina. -sean znachko Girls Volleyball The girls volleyball season drew to a close in early December, with the Varsity team advancing to the quarterfinals in CIF. The JV won two tournaments, said coach Linda Hauck. “The middle blockers from both teams, Varsity’s Paige Findlay and JV’s Catherine Oswald, received ‘Most Improved’ awards. Kelsey Crowe [senior] was an enthusiastic leader and setter this year,” said Hauck. -savanna vrevich

sports

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mustang 12.19.08

Timeout with: Jaime Navarro nicole fisher To some, dancing might be just a form of entertainment or art. But with all the physical requirement it should be qualified as a sport. Break-dancer and junior Jaime Navarro has been dancing for 6 years and was on the 2007 first place U.S. team, Flipside. Dance is not just a hobby to Navarro, but his passion. The Mustang took a timeout, or should we say an intermission, with Navarro to check out how he caught that dancing fever. Mustang: What made you interested in dancing? Navarro: “I first started at my school, Ocean Knoll learning Mexican dancing because it was free at my school. I started break

dancing because other people thought I was good [at the Mexican dancing] and my friends were doing it. They thought I would be good too and I love it.” M: What is the hardest part about dancing for you? N: The commitment. Sometimes I will have practices until midnight. M: What is your favorite style of dance? N: Breaking [is my favorite] because it is more physical and more of a challenge. M: What is the best part about performing? N: I would say I like competing [more than performing] because it gives you that adrenaline. M: What’s your favorite song to dance to?

sports

“I was surfing Seaside on a day when the waves were just OK, when this old guy on a giant long board caught a wave right in front of me, and ran me over, slicing my back and wetsuit. He knew that he had hit me and instead of coming out to see if I was ok, he just went in and ran away, even thought it had been his first wave.” - Henry Chestnutt, junior

personal best and worst

Worst

the show itself is [shady]. They just want drama. M: Who is your favorite individual dancer and why? N: Phillip Geniza [past Flipside Director]. He inspired

us to do the best we could and he stuck with us through think and thin. M: What’s your favorite move? N: An air flare, it looks sick.

How do SDA athletes into the pop culture scene? The Mustang finds out. Interviews by Eric Peck, photos by Liz Mills.

“I went to Walt Disney World with my family and swam with sharks at the water park, Typhoon Lagoon. I was freaked out. They [my family] made me go. I don’t like sharks.” - Annie Freeman, junior

“The best thing of the year was getting on the JV soccer team.” - Felix Jimenez, grade 9

N: [I like to dance to] anything [by] James Brown. M: What is your favorite dance reality show and why? N: America’s Best Dance Crew because some are good but

Pop Culture Throwdown

Best

“Over the summer I was lucky enough to travel to Peru and Australia for surfing. In Peru the wave was an ongoing left that got up to over head, and in Australia there were tons of breaks to choose from and was always offshore. Having the advantage to travel was definitely the highlight of my year.” - Alexa Thorton, senior

kendall daasnes JUST DANCE Junior Jaime Navarro shows off his skills in an Air Chair. Navarro dances for a breaking team at Studio 429.

current song on your iPod...

favorite comfort food...

Secret talent no one knows...

Favorite Movie

American Idol audtion song...

ping pong

tropic thunder

I kill at the Maggie Barry sex on fire reeses’ video game and senior -kings of leon kingdom french fries hearts basketball

a goofy movie

ain’t no mountain high enough - marvin gaye

the lion king

bohemian rhapsody -queen

memento

never gonna give you up -rick astley

Connor Brownell sophomore basketball

Alex Pupping sophomore soccer Brian Truong senior wrestling

oxford comma -vampire weeend

call to arms -angels & airwaves

spaghetti

apple pie

macaroni I lost my ipod and cheese

I write lyrics and sing, but usually only to myself

I can not sleep and still function for a day

livin on a prayer -bon jovi

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sports

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mustang 12.19.08

What’s in a sport sean znachko

knew my brother was watching TV, but I decided that for a few minutes, I could handle watching college football. Yet as I flopped onto the couch and looked at the screen, it was not football that met my eyes, or tennis, or lacrosse; it was poker. It’s an argument we’ve all had. Not specifically the qualifications of a sport, but whether certain sports deserve the title of “sport,” such as cheerleading, mini golf, or ping pong. Wikipedia defines a sport as “an activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.” The entry also differentiates between two different kinds of sports: motor sports and mind sports, card games being thrown into the mind sports category (so according to Wikipedia, poker on ESPN is ok). This definition places poker in the same category of “sport” as soccer. I find this to be completely ridiculous, considering it takes much more athletic talent and physical endurance to play soccer than it does to keep a serious face and occasionally place cards on a table. According to dictionary. com a “sport” is an athletic ac-

tivity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc. The key words in the dictionary.com definition are “physical prowess.” Participants in sports are athletes, and to be an athlete, one must use some form of ath-

leticism. Athleticism is defined as “the practice of engaging in athletic games.” Athletic is defined as “vigorously active.” Therefore, a sport is any activity that demands athleticism from its participants. Take that, National World Series of Poker. The sports I have found are most often in question are cheerleading, dance and figure skating. I’ll start with figure skating: to be a successful skater, one must have a serious amount of balance. Not to mention endurance, considering that skaters practice for hours and hours to make sure they make a perfect landing to their tripleaxel. Figure skating is a sport. On to dance: dancing requires quite a large amount of strength, whether it’s hip-hop, jazz, or ballet. Dance requires endurance: practices for most dancers are hours long, not to mention rehearsal time for performances. Dance is most definitely a sport. Now is the time for a declaration that some may find shocking: collegiate cheerleading is a sport. I’ll explain myself to those of you who thoroughly detest cheerleading. It takes physical strength to be a part of the pyramid, because you are throwing a human being (however small she may be) into the air. The people who aren’t in the pyramid would be the flyers. These flyers are essentially gymnasts, since in addition to their flying through the air, they are responsible for flips and twists during their airtime. A sport involves athletes, which in turn leads to athleticism, which includes rigorous activity. Which does not include poker.

Surf victory over LCC maddie lyon

mong the homeless and drug addicts prowling Ocean Beach, the bright blue ISF tent stood on the beach. On Nov. 8, the groggy SDA surfers congregated under their team tent watching the 3 to 4 foot waves peel off the jetty. The team waited anxiously for their first heats against LCC; bragging rights were on the line. Right from the start, SDA commanded a large lead that slowly widened as the morning progressed. At the end of the day

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SDA crushed LCC 79 to 56, once again proving themselves against their archrivals. “Beating LCC was really easy, and we will take them down any day, anywhere,” said senior Ryan Wilson. This sentiment was also felt by junior Spencer Roberson who gloated, “We beat them [LCC] before they even put on their wetsuits.” SDA surf team coach Oly Norris said, “This victory is a good sign that we can win the two national titles this year.” He also added, “It’s always nice to beat LCC!”

Do you love SDA? Come to the Forum!

Jan. 8th @ 3:30pm Room 26

Open meeting for students, teachers, administrators, and community members

Encinitas Rotary Donates to SDA Performing Arts Center Campaign On Wednesday, November 12th, SDA Prinicipal Mike Grove accepted a $5000 check from the Encinitas Rotary Club towards the Performing Arts Center capital campaign. The generous gift, announced at their luncheon meeting by Rotary President Kristen Gaspar, demonstrates the commitment to community betterment that is a part of the mission statement of the Rotary Clubs. The gift will be doubled as part of the $250,000 Challenge Grant offered by the Timmstrom Family Fund. The Timmstrom Family Fund Challenge, in effect through December 31, 2008, has offered to match any gift made to the Performing Arts Center capital campaign. Gifts can be made through the school Foundation office or online at www.sdafoundation.net

For more information, please call Sheila Durkin at 760-753-1121 ext. 5152

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Surfer vs. Skater

Nate Burns, junior, and surfer Derek Myers, junior, represent their sports in a battle that has been fought for ages. The winner will determine which sport will dominate the class of 2010. Who will be the biggest loser? Written by Nina Moussavi and Dimitri Fautsch. 1. If you throw a cat out of the car window, does it become kitty litter? Surfer: No, it becomes a cat thrown out the window. Skater: Wow! I would call it a really bummed out cat Us: Surfer, it wouldn’t become a cat thrown out the window; it would remain a cat thrown out the window. Zero points for not really answering anything. Skater, that’s pretty much not adding anything either, but at least, you’re thinking about the cat’s feelings; One point for being sympathetic. 2. If the 7-Eleven is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, why does it have locks on the door? Surfer: It’s not open 365 days a year; it’s not open on Christmas. Skater: Yeah dude, I don’t know what to say to that? It’s not open on holidays.

Us: Poor observation Surfer, if you actually took the time to look, 7-Eleven’s are open on holidays. Three points for at least trying to show some intelligence. Skater, you just copied Surfer’s answer, and the S vs. S code of conduct states that you receive zero points for cheating. 3. Why is it necessary to nail down the lid of a coffin? Surfer: So dirt doesn’t get in. Skater: It’s tradition. Us: Surfer, you’re on fire. We suggest that you go surfing right now, so that the water will put out the flames. Ten points for being right. Skater, that’s definitely a stretch, and even though it is true, it’s not the answer we were looking for. But we’ll give you 4 points, because you’re so far behind. 4. Why is an alarm clock “going off” when it’s actually turning on?

Surfer: Wait, what? An alarm clock is always turned on. Skater: Because the English language contradicts itself sometimes. Us: Surfer, you clearly don’t understand the concept of an alarm clock going off, but it’s alright. We don’t blame you. We will give you four points, because it seems like it took some brain power to come up with that answer. Skater, that was profound; you’re very smart. Zero points for being a know-it-all. 5.Why do most cars have speedometers that go up to at least 100 when you legally can’t go that fast on any road in America? Surfer: So you can have a late night cruise down to Fili’s for a grub sesh. Skater: So when you go to Europe you can drive really fast on the autobahn. Us: That was very eloquently

Nina Moussavi

A SHOULDER TO LEAN ON Surfer Derek Myers lets skater Nate Burns rest an arm on his shoulder as Nate flashes him a friendly smile.

phrased, Surfer, but unfortunately you get minus ten points for using improper lingo and fitting into the typical stereotype. And really, Skater? This is America.Also, wouldn’t it be more practical to rent a car if you were going to Europe. Some-

times we question where you get these answers. Three points for knowing what an autobahn is. Totals: Surfer: 7 Skater: 13

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Mane Attraction By Maddie Lyon and Taylor Chapin with photos by Kendall Daasnes

hen it comes to haircuts, no one is still sitting in the kitchen with a bath towel draped over their shoulders while mom puts a bowl over their head and proceeds to cut along the dotted line. Here are some hair styles and colors that represent the other side of the cranial spectrum, definitely warranting a double-take. For these students sporting impressive tresses, hair isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just an afterthought, it takes center stage. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Suki Berry, Emma Lindley, Mattie Miller, Chase Emon, Josh Drilling, Sophie Holsinger, Nika Fate, Chloe Aker

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